Small Learjet crashes into Florida street, killing nine

A Learjet 60 crashed into a residential street near Cresthaven, Florida, killing all nine people on board. The accident occurred at approximately 12:50 EST (17:50 GMT), about nine miles (14 km) from Mar‑a‑Lago.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was en route to the Bahamas when it began a rapid descent.

Dash‑camera footage posted on social media shows the jet nosediving almost vertically into the roadway, exploding into a fireball and leaving a large crater amid the traffic lanes. There were no reports of injuries to anyone on the ground.

Air‑traffic‑control recordings captured a crew member describing “moderate turbulence” and that the crew was “managing the ice.” The same voice noted the plane was “picking up precipitation” and requested to climb, but moments later reported a descent rate of 10,000 ft per minute.

The cockpit audio then included an emergency declaration: we are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 ft per minute, followed by “we are going to crash into the ground.” About 35 seconds later, the final transmission was “we’re out of time.”

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the video of the crash as “like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident a “horrific tragedy” and said the FAA is sending a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.

Investigators have not yet identified the passengers or crew, and no ground casualties have been confirmed.