All nine people aboard a business jet died when the aircraft crashed onto a busy street in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. The crash occurred around 12:50 EST near Cresthaven, roughly nine miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
Rapid Descent Recorded in Cockpit Audio
The Federal Aviation Administration stated that the Learjet 60 had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was en route to the Bahamas. Flight tracking data indicated the aircraft plummeted rapidly just prior to impact. Unverified social media dashcam footage captured the jet nose-diving nearly vertically onto a suburban road before exploding in a massive fireball.
Air traffic control recordings revealed alarming cockpit communications moments before the crash. A crew member initially reported moderate turbulence and mentioned managing ice accumulation while requesting permission to climb. The situation deteriorated quickly as the speaker noted a drop rate of 10,000 feet per minute, followed by an emergency declaration of an overspeed descent at 20,000 feet per minute. Approximately 35 seconds after declaring the emergency, the final transmission from the cockpit stated, “we’re out of time.”
Substantial Damage and Ongoing Investigation
The aircraft struck Military Trail, a major six-lane commercial roadway lined with businesses. Despite the violent impact, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis confirmed there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries among people on the ground. However, local officials declared a mass casualty incident and evacuated approximately 600 residents from an adjacent trailer park community.
Local authorities reported extensive structural damage to underground water lines and predicted the affected section of the road would remain closed for at least 30 days. Heavy rain and thunderstorms were present in the area when the accident occurred. U.S. President Donald Trump had left a nearby airport on Air Force One about an hour prior to the crash after staying at Mar-a-Lago earlier that morning.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident a tragedy and confirmed that FAA investigators are assisting the National Transportation Safety Board with a full investigation into the cause of the crash.
