A private Learjet 60 crashed in a residential area of Greenacres in Florida's Palm Beach County on Sunday afternoon killing all nine people on board. The aircraft reportedly plunged thousands of feet in less than a minute before crashing near a roadway and bursting into flames.
The crash triggered a massive fireball and scattered debris across the area. Although the aircraft came down close to residential properties and vehicles, no ground fatalities or serious injuries were immediately reported.
The dramatic sequence leading up to the crash has emerged through air traffic control (ATC) recordings, which captured the crew reporting deteriorating weather conditions before issuing desperate distress calls.
ATC Audio Captures Crew's Desperate Mayday Calls
Air traffic control recordings circulating online have captured the crew's increasingly desperate attempts to communicate with controllers as the aircraft descended.
In one of the distress calls, a crew member can be heard saying, "We're descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday – we're descending 10,000 feet per minute."
Another transmission reportedly captured the crew warning that the aircraft was in an overspeed condition, with the descent rate increasing dramatically.
"We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute… We're going to crash into the ground," the crew member was heard saying in the recording.
Further reports suggested that the aircraft was descending at approximately 22,000 feet per minute, with a steep banking angle of around 60 degrees.
Some recordings have also captured what appeared to be the final moments of the crew, including panicked remarks from a female crew member. Among the phrases attributed to the recording were, "We're going to die" and "We're out of time."
Learjet Reportedly Lost Nearly 27,000 Feet In About A Minute
The aircraft, identified in reports as N722BD, had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
While flying east at approximately 35,000 feet, the crew reportedly informed air traffic control about light clear icing, moderate turbulence and precipitation. The pilots initially described the icing conditions as manageable but later requested permission to climb another 2,000 feet.
The situation appeared to deteriorate rapidly, with the aircraft experiencing significant altitude fluctuations amid changing weather conditions.
According to flight data cited in reports, the jet lost approximately 27,000 feet in around a minute. Its descent rate was reportedly recorded at more than 30,000 feet per minute at its peak, suggesting an extremely rapid and uncontrolled plunge.
Jet Crashes Near Military Trail, Erupts Into Fireball
The aircraft eventually crashed near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres at approximately 12:50 pm local time.
Eyewitness accounts and dashcam footage reportedly captured the jet plunging almost vertically towards the ground before a massive explosion sent flames and smoke into the air.
The impact created a crater and scattered debris across the crash site. Despite the severity of the crash and its proximity to homes and passing vehicles, the aircraft narrowly missed several residential properties. No fatalities or serious injuries on the ground were immediately reported.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the horrifying visuals of the crash, saying the aircraft appeared to be "like a missile going down".
Crash Site Around 10 Miles From Mar-a-Lago
The crash site is located approximately 10 miles from Mar-a-Lago, US President Donald Trump's private club and residence in Palm Beach, Florida.
The incident prompted an emergency response, with authorities securing the area as investigators began examining the wreckage and gathering evidence to establish what led to the disaster.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people aboard the aircraft had died, describing the incident as a "horrific tragedy".
FAA, NTSB Investigate Possible Weather-Related Factors
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the crash.
Weather conditions at the time of the incident are among the factors being examined. Reports indicated scattered thunderstorms in the region, while a convective Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) warning for thunderstorms and possible icing conditions were also under review.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft's flight data, cockpit communications, weather conditions and other available evidence to determine the sequence of events that led to the crash.
However, authorities have not yet established the exact cause of the disaster. The investigation remains ongoing.
