A Learjet crash in Florida killed all nine people on board on Sunday, 1 November 2026, when the business jet came down beside a road next to a mobile home community in Palm Beach County.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Learjet 60 had left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for the Bahamas. The aircraft came down at about 12:50 local time (19:50 SAST), leaving a burning crater in the road. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people on board were killed.
What happened in the Learjet crash in Florida
Air traffic control recordings show the jet was flying east at 35 000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation and asked to climb a further 2 000 feet. Shortly before the crash, a pilot described the conditions to Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center.
“We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot said.
Flight tracking data showed the jet banking sharply to the right and entering a steep dive, with descent rates passing 30 000 feet per minute. The pilot reported a descent of 20 000 feet per minute over the radio and said the aircraft was in an overspeed condition, meaning it was flying faster than the airframe is certified to handle. The crew declared an emergency.
Weather and the investigation into the Learjet crash in Florida
Thunderstorms were present across South Florida when the jet came down. A National Weather Service observation taken about 15 minutes before the crash recorded thunderstorms in the vicinity, visibility of three miles and gusts of up to 19 knots. Investigators have not said whether the weather contributed to the descent.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation, with an FAA team supporting it. The NTSB is an independent United States agency, and early work in a case like this typically covers recovering the wreckage, reviewing air traffic control logs and examining weather conditions. No cause has been determined.
Evacuations after the Learjet crash in Florida
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke to reporters at the scene while heavy rain fell. Palm Beach County authorities began evacuating about 600 people from a nearby mobile home community while federal officials investigated. DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of anyone on the ground being injured or killed. He described the crash in blunt terms.
“It was a cataclysmic plane crash,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis added that the plane “looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.” Duffy, in a statement posted on X on Sunday, called the crash “a horrific tragedy”.
About the Learjet 60 involved
The Learjet 60 is a twin-engine business jet built by Bombardier, which ended production of the Learjet line in 2021. The aircraft involved was registered N722BD and was built in 2004, making it about 22 years old.
The jet had left Austin on Sunday, 1 November 2026, bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Authorities have not released the identities of the nine people on board, and the operator of the flight has not been named.
Sources
- ABC News (Australia), Nine people dead in Learjet crash in south Florida, officials say (2 November 2026)
- AIN, Florida Learjet Crash Claims Nine (2 November 2026)
- AVweb, Nine Killed in Florida Learjet Accident (1 November 2026)
- Federal Aviation Administration statement on the flight route
- Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, statement on X
- Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, remarks to reporters at the scene
