A private business jet carrying nine people crashed into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing everyone aboard, federal officials said.
The aircraft, identified as a Learjet 60, went down around 12:50 p.m. near the community of Cresthaven, roughly nine miles from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, according to reports from NBC News and Fox News. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities on social media, describing the disaster as a “horrific tragedy” and offering prayers to the victims’ families.
Plunge and fireball near roadway
The jet had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas when it crashed, according to statements from the Federal Aviation Administration. Jim Reynolds, a representative for the Austin airport, stated the flight was operated as a private aircraft with the tail number N722BD, The Guardian reported.
Motorists driving nearby captured dashcam video showing the airplane rapidly descending toward the ground nose-first before erupting into a massive fireball, Fox News reported. The impact site was situated near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, coming within feet of nearby houses and inches from moving traffic, according to witness video described by The Guardian.
Thick black plumes of smoke rose from the crash site as burning debris and broken pavement formed a crater along the roadway. A nearby worker reported that electrical power in the immediate vicinity went out for about two hours in the aftermath of the explosion, The Guardian reported.
Emergency response and traffic closures
Emergency crews rushed to the scene shortly after emergency calls reported the crash. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue issued a notice warning motorists to avoid the corridor, stating that crews would be engaged in an extended response, according to Fox News.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office closed all northbound and southbound lanes along Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North while responders worked to secure the scene. First responders did not immediately determine whether the crash caused structural damage to nearby residences or whether any bystanders on the ground sustained injuries.
Federal investigation underway
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash, supported by a specialized team deployed by the Federal Aviation Administration, Duffy said on Sunday.
Federal investigators will examine flight records, maintenance logs, weather conditions and communications between air traffic controllers and the flight crew to determine what caused the twin-engine jet to lose control. Officials have not yet released the identities of the passengers or pilots killed aboard the aircraft, and authorities said further updates will follow as investigators inspect the wreckage.
