Learjet 60 Crashes in Palm Beach County, Killing All Nine On Board
The mid-size jet, bound for the Bahamas, fell near Military Trail in Cresthaven at 12:50 p.m. Sunday.
By Ahmed Peterson ·
A Learjet 60 private jet fell into a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, Florida, at 12:50 p.m. on Sunday, killing all nine people aboard. The crash site is located near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities and described the incident as a "horrible tragedy." He extended his condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims.
The aircraft departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. Its intended destination was North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. The plane was a Learjet 60, a mid-size business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace. According to GlobalAir.com, the aircraft is 58 feet long. It has a maximum capacity for two crew members and eight passengers. The jet has a maximum range of just over 2,400 nautical miles.
Associated Press reporting indicates the plane narrowly avoided striking several homes before crashing near the roadway. It is not yet known if the impact caused damage to nearby residences. The crash occurred in a densely populated zone. Telemundo 51 reporter Adrian Criscaut noted the area contains shops, workshops, houses, and schools. A large police presence gathered at the scene. Multiple security agencies, rescue units, and salvage teams continued to arrive hours after the initial impact. Authorities suggested that the high volume of responders implied potential involvement of victims beyond those on board, though official counts remain focused on the nine individuals in the jet.
Military Trail remains closed in both directions between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. Local officials urged drivers to use alternate routes. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is sending a team to the scene to support the investigation. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will lead the inquiry into the cause of the crash. Both agencies are closely monitoring the situation and plan to share updates as more information becomes available.
The crash marks the latest incident in the region involving commercial or private aviation. The FAA reported the crash time as 12:50 p.m. ET. The aircraft was on approach or in flight over the neighborhood when it went down. No other flights were reported to be directly affected by the immediate closure of the road, though air traffic controllers may have adjusted local patterns. The NTSB will collect wreckage data, flight recorder information, and witness accounts to determine why the jet failed to reach its destination in the Bahamas.
Local emergency services secured the perimeter of the crash site. Investigators began combing the area for debris and personal belongings. The FAA emphasized that its team would assist the NTSB in the technical analysis of the flight. Families of the nine individuals aboard were notified by the airline operator. The airport in North Eleuthera remains open for other arrivals and departures. The Austin-Bergstrom airport also continued operations without major delays reported in the immediate aftermath.
The next steps in the investigation will involve a preliminary report from the NTSB. The agency typically releases initial findings within days of a fatal accident. The FAA will issue a notice of accident to document the event in its official logs. Local authorities will hold a press conference to provide further details on the condition of the nearby homes and the status of the road closure. The full cause will not be known until the NTSB completes its final report, which can take months.
Source: KTAZ
