Nine people were killed on Sunday, 1 November, when a private jet crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, triggering a powerful explosion and fire.
The deaths of all nine occupants were confirmed by Sean Duffy, the US Secretary of Transportation.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft was a Learjet 60 that had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for the Bahamas.
Videos circulating on social media captured the moment of the crash and the blaze that followed. The force of the impact reportedly left a large crater in the roadway.
This is the moment a Learjet 60 slammed into the ground in Greenacres this afternoon, erupting into a fireball. Flight tracking shows it came from Austin, TX before a rapid descent near Military Trail. Local reports say it hit a mobile home area. Investigation ongoing. #PalmBeach #Aviation #PlaneCrash #Florida
— Greg Madden (@GregMaddenUSMC) November 1, 2026
"Mayday, we are going to crash"
The aircraft's final moments emerged through recordings of communications between the pilot and air traffic control, released via the website LiveATC.net.
WATCH: Learjet 60 business jet completely destroyed, leaving large crater, after crashing near West Palm Beach, Florida. It’s unknown how many people were on board. https://t.co/R6kJlVTvdC
— BNO News (@BNONews) November 1, 2026
Shortly before the crash, the pilot reported ice accumulation on the aircraft, with outside temperatures reaching -47°C. He also reported moderate turbulence, causing sudden altitude fluctuations of up to 700 feet (around 213 metres).
"We have light ice accumulation, which we can manage, and moderate turbulence," the pilot initially told **Miami Air Traffic Control.
Moments later, he reported rainfall and requested clearance to climb to a higher altitude.
The situation then deteriorated rapidly as the aircraft began losing altitude at an uncontrolled rate.
"We're losing altitude at 8,000 feet per minute. Mayday, Mayday, we're losing 10,000 feet per minute," the pilot was heard saying.
In his final transmission, he reportedly warned:
"We have exceeded the allowable speed and are losing 20,000 feet per minute. We are going to crash into the ground."
Aircraft lost 27,000 feet in one minute
Data from flight-tracking platform ADS-B Exchange indicated that the Learjet 60 lost approximately 27,000 feet (8,230 metres) in just one minute before its flight path disappeared from tracking systems.
The aircraft came down around 6.5 kilometres south of West Palm Beach Airport, which was renamed earlier this year in honour of US President Donald Trump.
Trump had been in the area earlier on Sunday but departed aboard Air Force One approximately one hour before the accident.
The precise cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Source: skai.gr
