Nine people were killed when a Learjet 60 plunged into a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, after the pilots reported icing, turbulence and heavy precipitation, newly released cockpit audio shows.
The private jet crashed at about 12.50pm local time on Sunday, 1 November, near Cresthaven in the Greenacres area. It had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
Recordings of communications with air traffic control capture the crew describing worsening conditions before the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly. The pilot said the plane was descending at 10,000ft a minute before declaring an emergency.
‘Mayday, mayday’: final moments of Florida Learjet crash
In the transmission, the pilot reported that the Learjet was descending at 20,000ft a minute and experiencing an overspeed condition.
When the controller asked what was needed, the pilot replied: “We’re gonna crash into the ground.” Moments later, the crew reported that the aircraft was banking at 60 degrees, followed by an inaudible scream and a warning to look outside.
The jet struck the ground almost vertically, creating a large crater beside Military Trail and sending flames and thick black smoke into the sky. Debris was scattered across the surrounding area as emergency crews rushed to the scene.
About 600 people were evacuated from the nearby mobile home park, according to local officials. No injuries on the ground were reported, although roads around the crash site were closed while crews dealt with the wreckage and fires.
Florida governor Ron DeSantis described the impact as “cataclysmic”, saying the aircraft had appeared “like a missile going down”.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with support from the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA said its preliminary information remained subject to change.
Authorities had not released the identities of those killed. Officials also said it was not immediately known whether any of the passengers or crew were residents of Florida.
