Private Jet Crashes Near Residential Area, At Least 9 Feared Dead
on • Updated
A plane thought to be carrying 9 individuals crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon (Nov. 1).
The Learjet 60 was en route to the Bahamas from Austin when it fell from the sky, impacting the ground nose-first near a residential neighborhood in the Greenacres community of Palm Beach County.
The FAA reports that the business jet went from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in a little over a minute, or roughly 350 feet per second, before it crashed. The plane erupted into a fireball on impact, leaving a crater in the ground.
Newly released audio reveals that the pilot reported moderate turbulence and icing conditions. (Listener discretion is strongly advised.)
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the crash and the death of 9 occupants in a post on X, saying, “Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost.”
Today’s plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida is a horrific tragedy Here’s what we know: – At 12:50 PM ET, a Learjet 60 crashed in a neighborhood near Cresthaven, FL – All 9 people on board were killed – The aircraft departed from Austin, Texas, and was headed to the Bahamas – The FAA is sending a team to the scene to support the @NTSB’s investigation Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost — @FAANews & @USDOT are closely monitoring this crash and will share updates as we learn more
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) November 1, 2026
Authorities Shared More Details In A Press Conference Friday Evening
A few hours after the crash, Governor Ron DeSantis spoke to the press and shared new information.
DeSantis told reporters that the plane resembled a missile as it went down. He added that debris was “spewed” across a large area, resulting in the evacuation of roughly 600 residents who occupied a mobile home park located behind the crash site. “The debris was significant and spread across a pretty significant distance,” he said.
The official also shared that there have been no reports of anyone on the ground being injured or killed.
What We Know About The Aircraft Involved In The Crash
The Learjet 60 was a 22-year-old aircraft and was registered as privately owned by an LLC based in Delaware. The plane was available for charter, per Jettly.com.
In the days leading up to Sunday’s crash, the jet had visited Las Vegas, Cleveland, Little Rock, and Washington before departing from Austin on Sunday morning, according to FlightRadar.
Sunday’s accident became the second most deadly plane crash of 2026 behind June’s skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, that killed 12.
Sunday’s crash is under investigation by the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
