A Learjet 60 crashed near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, Florida, at about 12:50 p.m. local time on 1 November, killing all nine people aboard. The aircraft was flying from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Before the crash, the crew reported icing and moderate turbulence, requested a climb and declared an emergency during a rapid descent. The cause has not been established.
Air-traffic-control recordings captured the crew reporting precipitation after the initial icing and turbulence reports. The pilot then called an emergency as the aircraft’s descent accelerated. The sequence is part of the information available to investigators, but does not establish what caused the loss of control or the crash.
The aircraft came down near Military Trail in the Greenacres area. Authorities reported no confirmed fatalities on the ground. The crash disrupted access for nearby residents and prompted shelter arrangements.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration. The identities of the people aboard and the breakdown between passengers and crew had not been confirmed in the initial reports.