Learjet 60 Crashes in Palm Beach County, Killing All Nine Aboard

A privately operated Bombardier Learjet 60 crashed in a residential neighbourhood of Palm Beach County, Florida, on 1 November 2026, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft, registration N722BD, had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. It struck the ground near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in the Greenacres-Cresthaven area at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time, creating a crater in the roadway and igniting a fireball. No injuries were reported among people on the ground.

Air traffic control recordings captured the final minutes. The crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence while at altitude and requested a climb. Shortly after receiving clearance, the pilot reported a descent of 10,000 feet per minute, then declared an emergency, stating the aircraft was in an overspeed condition and descending at 20,000 feet per minute. The last transmission ended with the words “we’re out of time.” ADS-B data showed the jet losing roughly 26,700 feet in about 70 seconds before impact. Dash-camera video from nearby vehicles recorded the near-vertical dive and explosion.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the nine fatalities and described the event as a horrific tragedy. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who visited the site, said the aircraft “looked like a missile going down.” The National Transportation Safety Board has opened an investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration listed the owner as a Delaware limited-liability company; the jet was available for charter. The aircraft was a 2004-vintage Learjet 60 powered by Pratt & Whitney Canada PW305A engines. It is the second-deadliest U.S. aviation accident of 2026 after a skydiving plane crash in Missouri that killed 12 in June.

Authorities evacuated roughly 600 residents from a nearby mobile-home community while investigators and recovery teams worked. Military Trail remains closed, and officials estimate the road may stay shut for at least 30 days while the crater and debris field are cleared. The crash site lies several miles south of the airport formerly known as Palm Beach International and roughly nine miles from Mar-a-Lago. First responders from Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and local fire departments secured the area within minutes. Debris scattered across the roadway and adjacent properties, but the impact missed occupied structures by a narrow margin.

The Learjet 60 entered service in 1993 as a mid-size cabin business jet with a range of about 2,405 nautical miles with four passengers. Its high-speed wing design, derived from earlier Learjet models, gives it strong climb performance but also leaves limited margin once an overspeed develops at altitude. Investigators will examine whether icing, turbulence, or a mechanical failure initiated the loss of control. Weather reports at the time indicated precipitation and moderate turbulence in the area. The NTSB has recovered the flight-data and cockpit-voice recorders; preliminary findings are typically released within days, with a full report following months of analysis.

Families of those on board have not yet been publicly identified. The Delaware registration and charter listing make ownership tracing a standard early step for investigators. The incident has renewed attention to the operational environment for older business jets flying over the southeastern United States during active weather. Local schools near the site, including John I. Leonard High School, closed on 2 November. Cleanup and the NTSB on-scene work will continue through the week.