PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Nine people died when a Learjet 60 crashed near a residential neighborhood Sunday, Nov. 1, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Federal investigators are examining what happened during the flight from Texas to the Bahamas. Source: Local 10.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the jet went down near Cresthaven around 12:50 p.m. local time. Nine people were aboard the aircraft, which had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The agency cautioned that its initial information is preliminary and subject to change. Source: FAA.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue reported a prolonged emergency response along Military Trail. Authorities closed the road between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North and urged drivers to avoid the area. Local video coverage showed flames, thick smoke and debris near the roadway. Source: WFLX.
Gov. Ron DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of anyone on the ground being injured or killed, according to The Associated Press. Approximately 600 people were being evacuated from a nearby mobile-home community as officials secured the area.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, with FAA participation. In an agency statement reproduced by Local 10, the NTSB said investigators were arriving Sunday and Monday morning, with a media briefing planned Monday in West Palm Beach.
CNN reported that flight-tracking data showed a rapid descent before the aircraft disappeared from tracking. Those preliminary data do not establish the cause of the crash. The FAA’s initial statement does not identify a cause; claims of pilot error, weather-related loss of control or mechanical failure remain unconfirmed. Sources: CNN via KVIA and FAA.
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