9 dead as LearJet 60 crashes in Florida residential area
All nine people aboard the jet were killed when it plunged into a road in Greenacres, forcing the evacuation of a nearby mobile home park.
By Tunde Bailey ·
A commercial jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in Florida on Sunday, killing all nine people on board.
The accident occurred around 12:50 p.m. in Greenacres, located in Palm Beach County. The aircraft, identified as a Bombardier LearJet 60, struck the road head-on, creating a flaming crater. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that there were no survivors among the two crew members and eight passengers. Their names have not yet been released.
The impact triggered evacuations for hundreds of residents in a nearby mobile home community. Joel Flores, the District 3 commissioner, stated that officials were working to secure temporary housing for the approximately 600 people affected by the incident. Military Trail was closed between Cresthaven Boulevard and Avenue 10 North while crews assessed the damage.
Witnesses described the scene with vivid comparisons to natural disasters and military impacts. Abelino Temaj, a resident, said the sound resembled a missile, followed by a sensation of the ground shaking. Another man told Telemundo 51 that the event looked like a meteorite hitting the earth, with water gushing from the impact site and a large fire burning nearby. Anthony Blackmon, who lived 500 feet from the crash site, reported that debris struck his house and that the road was on fire. Roger Forcelle, another nearby resident, said he felt the aircraft pass over his home moments before it crashed less than half a mile away.
Air traffic control recordings obtained by LiveATC.net captured the pilot’s final communications. The jet was traveling east at 35,000 feet when the pilot reported clear ice, light turbulence, and moderate precipitation. The pilot described the ice as manageable and the turbulence as moderate. The situation deteriorated quickly as the pilot requested permission to climb 2,000 feet and subsequently declared an emergency.
The pilot reported a descent rate of 8,000 feet per minute and then 20,000 feet per minute, citing an overspeed condition. In the final moments, the pilot stated, "We are going to crash into the ground." The aircraft banked sharply to the right before striking the road and exploding. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear, but federal investigators were expected to provide an update on Monday.
The aircraft was en route from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The LearJet 60 is a mid-size executive jet with a maximum range of slightly more than 2,400 nautical miles.
