Overview
- The Learjet 60 crashed on Sunday in a residential area of Palm Beach County near Cresthaven and Military Trail, killing all nine people on board and leaving a large crater and fire on the roadway.
- The jet, registered as N722BD, departed Austin, Texas, bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas and appears on FAA records as owned by a Delaware limited liability company and listed online for charter.
- Air traffic control audio captured the crew reporting light, clear icing and turbulence before declaring mayday and saying “we're going to crash,” while ADS‑B flight data show the aircraft lost roughly 27,000 feet of altitude in about one minute prior to signal loss.
- The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the active investigation with FAA support and is conducting on‑site forensics; investigators warn high‑energy impact and fire could damage recorders and complicate reconstruction.
- Local officials evacuated about 600 residents and closed Military Trail; investigators will examine anti‑ice equipment, operations for private and charter flights, maintenance records, and weather as possible factors.