Nine people were killed in the crash of a private Learjet 60 on Sunday, Nov. 1, in Palm Beach County, Florida. The aircraft went down near a mobile home community in the Cresthaven area, causing an explosion and scattering debris over a wide area. According to Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, no one on the ground was injured. About 600 people living near the crash site, however, had to be evacuated.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said the crash occurred shortly before 1 p.m. local time. The plane took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to the Bahamas. Airport spokesman Jim Reynolds confirmed to The Associated Press that the aircraft was on a private flight.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said shortly after the crash that none of the nine passengers and crew members survived. “Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” he wrote on X.
WATCH: New video shows Learjet 60 business jet crashing near West Palm Beach, Florida.
The plane was completely disintegrated upon impact. Number of casualties unknown. pic.twitter.com/l5JT9KEWnQ
— BNO News (@BNONews) November 1, 2026
Dashcam footage from drivers near the crash site captured the moment the aircraft plunged. A recording of radio communications indicates that the pilot told air traffic controllers the plane was rapidly losing altitude, at a rate of 10,000 feet per minute. He then declared an emergency, reporting excessive speed and a descent of 20,000 feet per minute. “We’re going to crash… We don’t have time,” the pilot said in one of his last radio messages.
A special news conference with Gov. Ron DeSantis was held several hours after the crash. “It looked like a missile fell from the sky – a massive explosion, debris scattered everywhere. And the fact that there were people on board… that is truly a tragic way for them to go,” the governor said.
None of the people on the ground near the crash site were harmed. Authorities did, however, evacuate about 600 residents of the area.
The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating.
Editor: JŁ
Source: Słoneczne Radio
