Overview
- A Learjet 60 that departed Austin for the Bahamas plunged into Military Trail in Palm Beach County and exploded, killing all nine people aboard in the crash that occurred on Sunday.
- The impact left a deep crater, widespread debris and fires next to homes and businesses and forced the evacuation or relocation of about 600 local residents.
- Live air‑traffic audio captured the crew declaring a mayday and warning they were about to crash after earlier reporting light clear icing and moderate turbulence.
- Flight‑tracking feeds show an abrupt, extreme loss of altitude in the final minute with reported vertical speeds of roughly 27,000 to more than 32,000 feet per minute, information investigators are using to reconstruct the event.
- The NTSB, supported by the FAA, is leading on‑site recovery and forensics while noting recorders or other evidence may be damaged; officials are also reviewing the jet’s charter registration and private‑jet regulatory differences as part of the probe.