Pilot says 'we're going to crash into the ground' before fatal Palm Beach Learjet

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on Sunday, November 1, that all nine people aboard a Learjet 60 business jet died when the aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida. The Federal Aviation Administration said the jet crashed at about 12:50 p.m. Eastern time. The jet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas when it went down.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and said Sunday it was launching a go-team. Investigators were expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning, and the NTSB planned a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday. No cause for the crash has been determined as of Sunday evening.

The aircraft struck the ground near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, in the city of Greenacres. This location is roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach and four miles south of the local airport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the debris field stretched a long distance.

Air traffic control recordings reveal a rapid deterioration in the flight's status. While cruising at 35,000 feet, the pilot reported light, clear ice and moderate turbulence. The crew requested a climb of 2,000 feet. Minutes later, the pilot declared a mayday, stating the jet was descending at 10,000 feet per minute before accelerating to 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot radioed that the aircraft was in an overspeed condition and announced, "We're going to crash into the ground." CBS News reported the pilot also stated, "We're out of time."

Flight tracking data from ADS-B Exchange indicates the jet lost 27,000 feet in approximately one minute before the signal was lost. The FAA reported the altitude dropped from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in that final minute. The plane banked sharply to the right before impact, hitting the ground at a steep angle. The descent rate exceeded the aircraft's design limits, according to the AP.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the crash site and described the event as a cataclysmic plane crash. He noted that the jet left a large crater on the side of the road and compared the visual to a missile falling. DeSantis said there were no reports of ground casualties at the time of his news conference, though he praised local first responders for their swift action.

Witnesses in nearby vehicles captured video of the jet plunging from the sky and exploding near the roadway. Flames surrounded chunks of pavement lining the crater, which was located feet from homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke obscured the site, and the road surface buckled where the jet struck, according to footage from WPBF.

Anthony Blackmon, a resident living about 500 feet from the crash, told NBC 6 that debris hit his house and everything was on fire. Roger Forcelle stated he felt the aircraft pass over his home, shaking the entire structure. Andrew Mannino told CNN he heard a boom, felt the power go out, and smelled smoke. Another observer described the aftermath as looking like a meteor had hit the ground.

About 600 residents of a nearby mobile home community were required to leave their homes on Sunday night. County officials stated the crash scene blocked the entrance to the park and is being treated as a crime scene while federal investigators work. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores, who represented District 3, said residents were being sent to two county shelters with Red Cross support. Palm Tran buses were on standby to transport residents once law enforcement permitted the evacuation.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive until further notice. The road was open only to emergency vehicles. Officials advised drivers to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel and Haverhill Road and Kirk Road for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned the road could remain closed for an extended period due to the crater and the federal investigation.

Scattered storms were present in the area, and the jet passed through a stronger storm cell shortly before beginning its descent. The FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, a warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft, for the region. Heavy rain fell across the area on Sunday, with a National Weather Service flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon. Whether the weather played a role in the crash has not been determined.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, stated that the descent was not controlled, indicating the pilots had lost control of the plane. She noted that the steep dive could have torn parts from the airframe and that a flight recorder might have been destroyed in the explosion. It is unknown if the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder, as FAA rules require one for multi-engine jets flown for hire, and records show this jet was offered for charter.

The aircraft is registered as N722BD, a Learjet 60 owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, told the Associated Press the jet was a private aircraft and could not say who was on the flight. The crash is the deadliest ever involving a Learjet 60, according to Flight Safety Foundation data. It is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year, following a skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, that killed 12 people in June.