A private jet carrying nine people crashed in a catastrophic fireball in South Florida on Sunday afternoon, killing all aboard as the aircraft plummeted from cruising altitude and slammed nose-first into a busy road near a mobile home park.
The $2 million Learjet 60 went down around 1:00 p.m. ET in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, approximately eight miles southwest of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, according to The New York Post. The aircraft struck trees and power lines during its violent descent, with witnesses describing the sound as resembling “a missile.”
Dashcam footage from a vehicle traveling on the road captured the jet’s final moments as it plunged nose-first into the ground, creating a large crater at the impact site. The crash occurred on what appeared to be a busy thoroughfare, though it remains unclear whether anyone on the ground was killed or injured.
Rapid Descent From Cruising Altitude
Flight tracking data revealed that the Learjet descended an astonishing 35,000 feet in just 60 seconds before impact. The aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for the Bahamas when disaster struck.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. A South Florida-based pilot who heard the impact told The Daily Wire that the circumstances suggest either a catastrophic mechanical failure causing the pilot to lose control, or a loss of cabin pressure that may have incapacitated the flight crew.
Federal Investigation Underway
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the deaths of all nine people aboard the aircraft and announced that federal investigators were being deployed to the scene.
“Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost,” Duffy said, adding that the Federal Aviation Administration “is sending a team to the scene to support the @NTSB’s investigation.” The Transportation Secretary indicated that his department would be closely monitoring the crash and sharing updates as more information becomes available.
The National Transportation Safety Board, which typically leads investigations into civil aviation accidents, will examine the wreckage, flight data recorders if available, weather conditions, maintenance records, and other factors that may have contributed to the crash.
Community Shaken by Tragedy
The crash site in Greenacres, a city of roughly 40,000 residents in central Palm Beach County, became the focus of emergency response efforts Sunday afternoon. The proximity to a mobile home park and the impact on a busy road raised immediate concerns about potential casualties beyond those aboard the aircraft.
The massive fireball and explosion would have been visible and audible to residents across a wide area. The comparison to a missile strike by witnesses underscores the violent nature of the impact and the shock experienced by those who witnessed or heard the tragedy unfold.
The Learjet 60, a mid-size business jet manufactured by Bombardier, typically seats six to eight passengers and is powered by two rear-mounted engines. The aircraft type has been in service since the early 1990s and is commonly used for private business travel and charter operations.
Authorities have not yet released the identities of the nine people killed in the crash, pending notification of family members. The investigation into what caused this apparently sudden and catastrophic failure is expected to take months as federal investigators piece together evidence from the wreckage, flight data, and witness accounts.
This story is developing, and additional details are expected to emerge as investigators examine the crash site and review available data.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/jet-crashes-in-massive-fireball-near-mar-a-lago