Private jet crashes in Florida, killing all occupants on board
Dhaka: A Learjet 60 crashed in Florida's Palm Beach County on November 1, killing all nine people on board, shortly after its crew reported icing and turbulence and declared an emergency during a steep descent.
The twin-engine business jet was traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. According to the FAA, it went down near Cresthaven at around 12:50 pm. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that nobody survived.
Dashcam footage from a car passing near the crash site showed the aircraft plunging almost vertically from beneath dark clouds and hitting the ground next to a busy road, igniting a fireball. The impact left a large crater near homes and vehicles on the road. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said no deaths or injuries had been reported on the ground.
Still frames from the video suggest the jet may have been missing its horizontal stabilizer.
Air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC revealed that the crew had reported turbulence causing altitude deviations of up to 700 feet. The pilot described the icing as light and manageable, with moderate turbulence. The crew then reported precipitation and asked for a climb.
Soon afterward, the pilot declared an emergency and reported descent rates rising from 8,000 to 10,000 feet per minute and then to 20,000 feet per minute, along with an overspeed condition.
Flightradar24 identified the aircraft as N722BD. Its ADS-B data showed the jet left Austin at 9:37 am and flew east toward the Bahamas. Near Naples, Florida, it began descending toward 35,000 feet, and the crew later asked to climb to 37,000 feet.
The aircraft climbed briefly at about 12:48 pm before entering a steep, descending right turn. Its descent rate exceeded 32,000 feet per minute. The last altitude received by Flightradar24 was 8,750 feet at 12:49 pm.
Heavy rain and strong thunderstorms were affecting South Florida that day. The National Weather Service said an upper-level low over the state was bringing moisture and widespread storms. A flood watch was in effect for Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North while emergency crews worked at the site. Local officials were arranging shelter and assistance for about 600 nearby residents affected by the crash.
Authorities have not released the victims' names or confirmed how many were passengers and crew.
The NTSB is leading the investigation with assistance from the FAA. The board plans to hold a media briefing in West Palm Beach on November 2.
