Learjet Plunges 27,000 Feet in 60 Seconds Before Hitting Palm Beach Homes
All nine people on board a charter jet died when the aircraft crashed into a Greenacres neighborhood on Sunday, leaving a smoldering crater on a closed street.
By Alexei Petit ·
A twin-engine Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday, killing all nine passengers and crew members aboard. The aircraft struck a paved road near a mobile home community, creating a deep, smoldering crater and triggering a large fire that sent smoke rising over the suburb. Emergency officials confirmed that no people on the ground were injured or killed in the impact.
The jet departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Flight data from ADS-B Exchange showed the plane maintaining a steady course until it began a rapid descent over West Palm Beach. The aircraft dropped roughly 27,000 feet in sixty seconds before its signal disappeared. Air traffic control recorded distress calls from the cockpit during the final moments. The pilot reported a descent rate of 8,000 feet per minute, then 10,000 feet per minute, before declaring an overspeed condition at 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot stated the aircraft was going to hit the ground.
The crash occurred along South Military Trail near Cresthaven Boulevard. The force of the impact buckled the asphalt and buried debris in the road surface. Firefighters and police closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North to manage the scene. Crews worked through the afternoon to extinguish the fire and assess structural damage to nearby homes. Weather stations in the area recorded active thunderstorms, lightning, and wind gusts near 25 mph at the time of the crash. Records show the jet passed through a severe weather cell shortly before the steep dive, though investigators have not yet determined if the weather caused the accident.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident a horrific tragedy in a social media post released on Sunday. The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration launched a joint investigation to identify the cause. Federal teams are on site collecting wreckage and retrieving flight recorder data. Investigators plan to remain in the area for several days to analyze the physical evidence and atmospheric conditions along the flight path. Authorities have not released the names of the victims.
The crash site remains secured as federal agencies coordinate their work. Local traffic officials kept the main thoroughfare closed to allow for a thorough inspection of the ground damage. The investigation will focus on the mechanical state of the aircraft and the environmental factors present during the final minute of flight.
Source: KLBJ
