Learjet 60 crashes in Palm Beach County, killing all nine aboard after rapid descent

A Bombardier Learjet 60, registration N722BD, crashed near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in the Greenacres-Cresthaven area of Palm Beach County, Florida, at approximately 12:50 p.m. EST on November 1. All nine occupants died. The aircraft struck the ground nearly vertically, creating a large crater and fireball near a mobile home park. No one on the ground was injured, according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and local officials.

The jet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas at 15:37 UTC bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. FAA records list the 2004 aircraft, serial number 271, as owned by LR60271 LLC, a Delaware corporation. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the nine fatalities. The NTSB is leading the investigation and has dispatched a go-team; a media briefing was scheduled in West Palm Beach.

Air traffic control recordings show the sequence in detail. The crew reported managing light clear ice and moderate turbulence at altitude, with an outside air temperature of -47°C, and requested a climb for better conditions. After clearance to 37,000 feet, the pilot declared a mayday, stating the aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute and then 20,000 feet per minute in an overspeed condition. Subsequent calls reported a 22,000 feet per minute descent and a 60-degree bank. The final transmission was “We’re out of time.” Flightradar24 data indicated a vertical rate exceeding 32,000 feet per minute at one point. The aircraft dropped from roughly 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in about one minute before impact.

About 600 residents of a nearby mobile home community were expected to be relocated while investigators worked the site. Military Trail was closed between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The crash site is roughly nine miles south of Mar-a-Lago. Dashcam and social media video captured the final seconds of the near-vertical dive and fireball.

Bombardier stated it would support the investigation. The cause remains under investigation; icing and turbulence were reported by the crew, but investigators have not yet determined whether they contributed to the loss of control. The NTSB will examine the wreckage, flight data if recoverable, and maintenance records. The aircraft had arrived in Austin from Little Rock the previous day.

The rapid descent rate and final attitude match the visual evidence of a near-vertical impact. No other aircraft were involved. Local first responders contained multiple small fires and secured the debris field. The investigation is expected to take months; preliminary findings on the sequence of events are likely to appear in the NTSB’s initial report.