A Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed Sunday afternoon in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, and everyone aboard was killed, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.
Duffy said on X that the plane went down at 12:50 p.m. and called it a “horrific tragedy.”
What We Know So Far
The Federal Aviation Administration said the jet took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The FAA said nine crew members and passengers were aboard and that no one survived.
The jet nose-dived into a South Florida neighborhood and erupted in a fireball that appeared to just miss homes, near a busy roadway, The Associated Press said. Videos recorded by people in their cars show the plane falling from the sky before it struck the ground near the road and exploded. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater as people gathered, shocked that the jet landed feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke covered the site.
Fox 13 said Storyful, a video wire service, obtained dashcam video that shows the moment the jet hit the ground and caught fire.
Officials have not said how many of the nine were crew and how many were passengers. No one has been identified.
What Authorities Are Saying
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a Sunday news conference that he did not know whether anyone aboard was from Florida. “Obviously, this was a cataclysmic plane crash,” he said. “It looked like a missile going down.” He said it left a big crater on the side of the road.
Duffy said the FAA is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation. The NTSB said it was sending a team to Florida on Sunday night and Monday, and expects to hold a media briefing sometime Monday.
Differing Accounts
The sources do not conflict on the toll or the plane. They describe the crash site differently. The AP said it was a South Florida neighborhood near a busy road, Reuters said a residential area near Cresthaven, and Fox 13 said the plane crashed into the ground in Palm Beach County.
Why This Matters
The cause of the crash has not been determined. The investigation is being led by the NTSB with FAA support.
What Happens Next
The NTSB team arrives Sunday night and Monday to begin the investigation. Officials have not identified the victims.
Sources: the Associated Press, Reuters and Fox 13
