A business jet carrying nine people crashed into a South Florida neighborhood on Sunday, erupting into a fireball near a busy Palm Beach County roadway. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine people aboard were killed.
The Learjet 60 crashed in Greenacres at about 12:50 p.m., according to Duffy. Video recorded from nearby vehicles showed the aircraft plunging toward the ground and exploding close to homes and passing traffic. The impact left a crater, burning debris and heavy black smoke at the site.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of people on the ground being injured or killed. Authorities nevertheless evacuated about 600 residents from a nearby mobile home community, while the road was closed pending the investigation.
The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for the Bahamas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It was flying east at about 35,000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation and asked to climb another 2,000 feet.
Air traffic control recordings and flight-tracking data indicate that the jet then entered a steep descent, with its rate increasing from 10,000 feet per minute to as much as 30,000 feet per minute. A pilot declared an emergency and reported an overspeed condition before saying the aircraft was going to crash. The plane subsequently banked sharply to the right and struck the ground.
The pilot had earlier reported ice accumulating on the aircraft and turbulence that jolted the jet by as much as 700 feet. Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said icing and turbulence could have contributed to the crash, possibly by causing a stall, but emphasized that investigators would examine all potential factors.
The FAA is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board investigation. NTSB investigators were expected at the crash site on Sunday and Monday, with a media briefing scheduled in West Palm Beach on Monday. Authorities had not immediately identified the people aboard or determined what caused the crash.
Heavy rain affected the region on Sunday, and a flood watch for excessive rainfall remained in effect through Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
Sources: NPR News.