Nine killed as Learjet 60 crashes and explodes in Florida neighbourhood

Florida, USA, November 2, 2026 — Nine people were killed after a private Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida, and erupted into flames on Sunday afternoon.

The aircraft went down near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people aboard the aircraft died. Their identities and the number of passengers and crew members had not been publicly disclosed in initial reports.

Air traffic control recordings indicate that the pilot reported ice accumulating on the aircraft, moderate turbulence and precipitation shortly before the crash. The pilot also requested to climb to a higher altitude before reporting a rapid descent and declaring an emergency.

According to flight-tracking data cited in media reports, the aircraft descended approximately 27,000 feet in about one minute before contact was lost. The circumstances leading to the crash have not been established, and investigators have not confirmed whether weather conditions contributed to the accident.

The impact caused a large fire and left a crater and debris scattered around the crash site. Local officials arranged the evacuation of approximately 600 residents from a nearby mobile home community. Initial reports said there were no confirmed deaths or injuries among people on the ground.