Learjet breaks apart over Florida homes after pilots report icing

Nine people died on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when a Learjet 60 business jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported the jet hit the ground at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the loss of all nine individuals on board in a post on social media. The aircraft was traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

The jet departed Austin on Sunday morning. It maintained an altitude of roughly 35,000 feet while flying east. Minutes before the crash, pilots reported light icing, moderate turbulence, and precipitation to the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center. They requested a climb of 2,000 feet. Air traffic control recordings indicate the pilot described the ice as clear and manageable. The outside air temperature was recorded at minus 47 degrees Celsius.

The flight path deteriorated rapidly after the climb request. The pilot radioed that the aircraft was descending at 10,000 feet per minute. Seconds later, the descent rate increased to 20,000 feet per minute, and the pilot declared a mayday. Tracking data showed the jet dropped 27,000 feet in about one minute. The aircraft banked sharply to the right before impacting the ground near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North in Greenacres.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and described the event as a cataclysmic plane crash. He noted the impact left a large crater on the side of the road. DeSantis stated that no ground injuries or deaths had been reported at the time of his news conference. The debris field stretched a significant distance from the impact zone.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation. A go-team was deployed to the site on Sunday and Monday morning. The agency scheduled a media briefing in West Palm Beach for Monday. No cause for the crash has been determined. The NTSB is working alongside the FAA, which sent a team to support the inquiry.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive. Only emergency vehicles were permitted to pass. County officials directed drivers to use 10th Avenue North, Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive, Haverhill Road, and Kirk Road for alternate routes. Commissioner Joel Flores said the crash scene is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work.

Approximately 600 residents in a nearby mobile home community were ordered to leave their homes on Sunday night. The crash site blocked the entrance to the park. Flores said residents were being transported to two county shelters. The Red Cross was on standby, and Palm Tran buses were ready to assist with evacuation. A woman working nearby reported the power outage lasted about two hours.

Residents described the moment of impact as violent. Anthony Blackmon, who lived about 500 feet from the crash, said debris hit his house and the road caught fire. Roger Forcelle felt the aircraft pass over his home, shaking the structure. Andrew Mannino heard a boom and smelled smoke, with a large black cloud rising into the air. Video from dashcams captured the jet striking the pavement and exploding.

Flight tracking data identified the aircraft as N722BD. The FAA registry lists the jet as owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. The plane was listed online for charter flights. This crash is the deadliest incident involving a Learjet 60. It is the second deadliest aviation accident in the United States this year, following a skydiving plane crash in Missouri in June that killed 12 people.