Learjet crashes in Florida, killing all nine on board
The aircraft was descending at 20,000 feet per minute after the pilot reported ice and severe turbulence before impact.
By Rahul Sato ·
Nine people died when a private jet crashed into a road in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon. The aircraft erupted in flames after the impact. Officials confirmed that all individuals on board were killed.
The plane, a Learjet 60, departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport with a destination in the Bahamas. FAA records list the jet as registered to a Delaware LLC and available for charter. The crash site is located near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. It is approximately four miles south of the West Palm Beach airport.
Radio calls recorded by LiveATC.net show the pilot reporting light ice and moderate turbulence minutes before the crash. The pilot stated, "We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence." The outside air temperature was reported at -47 degrees Celsius, with turbulence bouncing the plane up to 700 feet. The pilot then declared an emergency after requesting to climb.
In a final transmission, the pilot warned of a rapid descent. "We're descending 8,000," the pilot said. "Mayday, mayday. We're descending 10,000 feet per minute. We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute. We're going to crash into the ground." Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange indicates the jet lost 27,000 feet in one minute before the signal was lost.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the event as a "horrific tragedy." The NTSB notes this is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year, following a June incident in Butler, Missouri, that killed 12 people. The FAA and NTSB will lead the investigation.
Video from WPBF shows the road buckled into a crater where the jet struck. Scattered storms were present in the area, with the plane passing through a stronger cell just before the descent. It is unclear if the weather played a role in the accident. President Trump was in West Palm Beach earlier in the day but had departed on Air Force One more than an hour before the crash.
Officials have closed all northbound and southbound lanes of Military Trail until further notice. Motorists are advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
Source: KIVI-TV
