Nine killed as Learjet crashes near Greenacres, Florida
The jet was flying from Austin to the Bahamas when it went down next to a mobile home park. About 600 residents remain evacuated as federal investigators look for a cause.
All nine people aboard a Learjet 60 were killed when it crashed Sunday, Nov. 1, around midday in Palm Beach County, Florida. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the toll on X.
The jet had left Austin-Bergstrom airport in Texas bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is leading the inquiry, lists the crash in Lake Worth Beach, while local officials place it beside Greenacres. The aircraft belongs to Aurora Aviation, which operates as Upper Jet. The flight vanished from radar and radio contact while en route, the investigation file shows.
It came down next to a road at the entrance of a mobile home park and left a crater. About 600 residents were taken to shelters. No one on the ground died; a man driving out of the area hurt his leg.
What investigators know so far
Preliminary findings from the investigation indicate the crew reported ice and moderate turbulence at high altitude. Air traffic control in Miami cleared the jet to climb from 35,000 to 37,000 feet to avoid precipitation. Soon afterward the plane descended rapidly and an emergency was declared.
The cause has not been determined. Investigators expect several days of work at the site and have asked residents not to move any debris they find.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the crash "cataclysmic." Among the dead are a couple from Austin, their two young children and the children's caregiver, relatives said in statements. Officials have not released a full list of victims.
Why it matters in Mexico
The Bahamas is a frequent destination for travelers from across the region, Mexicans included, and this was a private charter flight. No Mexican victims have been reported. What investigators conclude about icing and turbulence at that altitude could shape how private jets fly over the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico.
A preliminary report from the safety board usually comes weeks after a crash.
