Nine Dead After Private Jet Plunges Into Florida Neighborhood

Nine people died when a private jet crashed into a residential area in South Florida on Sunday.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities in a post on X. He identified the aircraft as a Learjet 60 and stated it crashed at 12:50 p.m. local time. The crash site was located in Palm Beach County. Duffy described the incident as a horrific tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration is sending a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation into the cause of the crash.

The aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. Its intended destination was the Bahamas. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for the Austin airport, confirmed the plane was privately owned. He identified the tail number as N722BD. Reynolds could not immediately provide the names of the people aboard. He called the event definitely a tragedy.

Video recorded by drivers showed the jet descending sharply before striking the ground near a roadway. The impact created a large fireball. The jet landed feet from nearby homes and inches from passing vehicles. Thick black smoke covered the crash site. Flames burned around pieces of pavement in the crater left by the impact. People nearby stood in shock at the proximity of the wreckage to their properties. It was not immediately known if anyone on the ground was injured or killed. Officials also did not immediately report on damage to the houses in the neighborhood.

The crash occurred near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office closed roads in both directions. They urged motorists to avoid the area. Firefighters and other emergency personnel rushed to the scene to respond to the fire. A woman working nearby reported that electricity in the area had been out for approximately two hours following the crash. The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation.