Nine people died when a private jet crashed over a residential area in Florida, United States. According to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, the aircraft went down on Sunday afternoon near Cresthaven. The plane was a Learjet 60 that had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Flight control records indicate that minutes before the crash, while at an altitude of approximately eleven kilometers, the pilot reported icing on the aircraft and turbulence. The pilot informed air traffic controllers that the ice was manageable and the turbulence was moderate before issuing a distress call. Audio recordings captured by LiveATC.net reveal the pilot's final transmission stating, "We are going to hit the ground." Flight tracking data showed the aircraft subsequently lost altitude and descended toward the earth at a rate exceeding 9,000 meters per minute.
The impact created a large crater on an asphalt road at the crash site. Emergency crews evacuated approximately 600 people from a nearby mobile home community. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that initial findings indicate there were no casualties on the ground. Describing the event as obviously devastating, he noted that the area has been secured for investigation and cleanup operations.
Sources: Tagesschau.