Learjet 60 crashes in Florida residential area, all nine aboard killed

A private Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, 2026, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

Audio recordings of communications between the crew and air traffic control captured the final moments. The crew reported moderate turbulence, ice formation, and an outside temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius, then requested permission to climb to flight level 370, about 37,000 feet.

“We are going to crash into the ground.”

According to the FAA, the twin-engine jet lost approximately 32,000 feet of altitude in one minute before crashing near the intersection of South Military Trail and Marilyn Drive in Greenacres. The impact created a large crater, scattered debris over a wide radius, and triggered an extensive fire with thick smoke rising above the road.

The crew issued a mayday call, reporting the aircraft was descending at 8,000 feet, and warned they were about to hit the ground before communication was cut off. The recording has not been officially confirmed, though CNN reportedly confirms the exchange took place between the cockpit and the control tower.

The force of the explosion was strong enough to knock down power lines. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people aboard died. The FAA stated the aircraft lost altitude rapidly before impact.

Authorities have not released the identities of the victims. The crash site is located in a populated neighborhood, and emergency responders worked at the scene after the impact.

Investigators are expected to examine the wreckage and the audio recording as part of the official inquiry into the accident.