Learjet 60 Plunges 26,500 Feet in One Minute, Killing All Nine in Palm Beach County

All nine individuals aboard a Learjet 60 business jet died on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when the jet nose-dived into a neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities in a social media post, labeling the incident a "horrific tragedy." The Federal Aviation Administration placed the time of impact at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time.

The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, heading toward North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Flight tracking data and air traffic control communications indicate the jet was cruising at roughly 35,000 feet when the pilots reported encountering turbulence, icing, and precipitation. They requested a climb of 2,000 feet, but the situation deteriorated within minutes.

Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot's reports as conditions changed. The pilot reported "light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence," noting an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. Turbulence was bouncing the aircraft by as much as 700 feet. Shortly thereafter, the pilot declared a mayday, stating the jet was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. The descent rate accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute, and the pilot warned of an overspeed condition.

The pilot subsequently announced, "We're going to crash into the ground," and, CBS News reported, also said, "We're out of time." The jet banked sharply to the right and struck the ground at a steep angle near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres. The FAA reported the jet fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in a single minute. The impact created a crater near the roadway, and the aircraft exploded, sending debris scattering across the neighborhood.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and described the crash as "cataclysmic." He noted that the aircraft appeared like a missile descending and left a significant crater on the side of the road. DeSantis stated there were no reports of ground casualties at the time of his press conference, though he acknowledged the debris field stretched a considerable distance. He praised local first responders for their rapid response.

Residents nearby described the violent event. Anthony Blackmon, who was about 500 feet from the crash, said debris hit his house and the road caught fire. "Everything was on fire," Blackmon said. Roger Forcelle felt the aircraft pass directly over his home, causing the structure to shake. "It went right over us," Forcelle said. Andrew Mannino told CNN he heard and felt the boom, that the power immediately went out, and that he smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise into the air.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. The NTSB said Sunday it was launching a go-team, and investigators were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning. An NTSB media briefing was scheduled for Monday in West Palm Beach. No cause for the crash has been determined. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, told the Associated Press the jet was a private aircraft and could not say who was on the flight. Officials had not released the names of the nine people killed.

The crash site blocks the entrance to a nearby mobile home community, prompting the evacuation of approximately 600 residents Sunday night. County officials said the scene is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged that a crime took place. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, who was the first county official at the scene, stated that residents were being sent to two county shelters with the Red Cross standing by. Palm Tran buses were prepared to transport residents once law enforcement cleared the area.

Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive remains closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles. County officials directed drivers to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel and Haverhill Road and Kirk Road for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that parts of the road could stay closed for an extended time because of the crater, and officials said the timeline also depends on the federal investigation.

Whether the weather played a part has not been determined. The jet passed through a stronger storm cell minutes before the descent. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft in the area. Scattered storms and heavy rain affected the region on Sunday, with a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon. The NTSB had issued a safety alert in January 2024 warning that in-flight icing can make managing the airplane’s flightpath and airspeed more difficult.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, stated that the descent was not controlled. "So at that point, it's clear whatever happened, they had lost control of the plane," Schiavo said. She noted that the steep dive could have torn parts off the aircraft and that a flight recorder might have been destroyed in the explosion. It is not yet known if the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder, as FAA rules require multi-engine jets to carry one only when flown for hire. Records show the jet was offered for charter flights.

The aircraft, registered as N722BD, is owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. According to Flight Safety Foundation data, this is the deadliest crash ever involving a Learjet 60. The previous worst incident for this model occurred in 2008, killing four people in Columbia, South Carolina. This crash is the second deadliest in the United States this year, following a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June that killed 12. Bombardier, the Canadian manufacturer that built the most recent Learjets, stopped production in 2021 but continues to support the aircraft in service.