Learjet 60 Crashes in Palm Beach County Killing All Nine Aboard

A private Learjet 60 crashed on 1 November 2026 in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft, registration N722BD, had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

The National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration opened investigations. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities and described the event as a horrific tragedy. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called it a cataclysmic plane crash that looked like a missile going down.

Air traffic control recordings captured the final moments. The pilot reported ice accumulation, an outside air temperature of -47 degrees Celsius, and moderate turbulence. Moments later the crew declared mayday, stating the aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute and then 20,000 feet per minute in an overspeed condition. The last transmission was that they were out of time.

Flight data showed the jet lost more than 26,000 feet in roughly 70 seconds. Dashcam video from the ground recorded a near-vertical dive ending in a fireball that left a large crater near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North. The impact scattered debris and started fires but caused no reported injuries on the ground. About 600 residents of a nearby mobile home park were evacuated while investigators worked the site.

The aircraft was a 2004 Bombardier Learjet 60 registered to LR60271 LLC, a Delaware corporation. Bombardier stated it would support the investigation. Palm Beach County officials closed the road indefinitely and praised the rapid response of local fire and sheriff units.

No cause has been determined. Investigators are examining the reported icing and the rapid loss of control. The crash occurred roughly eight miles from Mar-a-Lago. NTSB teams were scheduled to brief the media the following day in West Palm Beach.

This was the first fatal U.S. business jet crash of this severity in months. The high descent rate and clear ATC audio provide investigators with unusually detailed data from the final minute of flight.