Learjet Crash in Palm Beach County Kills Nine

A business jet crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the deaths in a post on X. The impact created a large fireball near a busy roadway.

The aircraft, identified as a Learjet 60 with tail number N722BD, struck the ground at 12:50 p.m. local time. Duffy described the event as a horrific tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration is dispatching a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board in determining the cause of the accident.

The jet departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. Its intended destination was the Bahamas. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom, confirmed that the aircraft was private. He stated that the crash was definitely a tragedy but did not provide immediate details on the identity of the passengers.

Video recorded by motorists showed the plane plunging from the sky before exploding upon impact. Thick black smoke rose from the crater, which formed near the roadway. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with flames flickering around broken pavement. People gathered nearby expressed shock that the jet landed only feet from homes and inches from moving vehicles.

The crash site was located near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North. Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office personnel closed roads in both directions. They urged drivers to avoid the area. Firefighters and other emergency responders arrived quickly to manage the scene. A woman working nearby reported that electricity in the area remained out for approximately two hours after the crash.

Authorities have not yet determined if any residents on the ground were injured or killed. It was also unclear whether nearby homes sustained structural damage. The investigation into the specific circumstances of the crash is ongoing.