Jet from Texas crashes near homes in Palm Beach, Florida, killing 9 on board

Key points

• A Learjet 60 with nine people aboard crashed near homes in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing all on board.
• No one on the ground was injured, and about 600 people were evacuated from the crash site near a mobile home park in Cresthaven.
• The jet had left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for the Bahamas, according to the FAA.

A business jet carrying nine people nose-dived and crashed near homes in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, killing everyone on board, officials said. No one on the ground was injured, Gov. Ron DeSantis told reporters at a news conference.

The Learjet 60 crashed just before 1 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed for the Bahamas. The cause of the crash had not yet been shared.

Evacuation and road closures

About 600 people were evacuated from the area near a mobile home park in Cresthaven, local officials said. The Palm Beach Sheriff's Office said all northbound and southbound lanes of Military Trail near Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North were closed until further notice.

It was like a missile coming down and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere.

— Gov. Ron DeSantis

Pilot's final communications

Air traffic control audio captured the pilot's last communications before the crash. According to the audio on LiveATC.net, the pilot said the aircraft was descending 10,000 feet per minute, later declared an emergency and reported an overspeed condition at 20,000 feet per minute, and then said, "We're gonna crash ... We're out of time."

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed on X that all nine people on board died. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is sending a go-team to investigate, with investigators expected to arrive later Sunday and Monday morning.