Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach County kills all nine aboard

Nine people lost their lives on Sunday when a private Learjet 60 plummeted from the sky in a residential area of South Florida. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatality count, describing the event as a horrific tragedy. The impact site was located near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in Palm Beach County.

Witnesses inside nearby vehicles captured footage of the jet striking the ground before exploding into a large fireball. The debris scattered across the roadway, creating a crater surrounded by chunks of pavement. Emergency responders reported that the aircraft landed only feet from houses and inches from passing cars. Thick black smoke rose from the site as flames consumed the wreckage.

The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash, with support from the Federal Aviation Administration. Authorities have not yet released the names of the passengers or identified the specific mechanical failure or pilot error that led to the descent. The jet had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas earlier that day, bound for the Bahamas.

Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for the Austin airport, confirmed the aircraft was privately owned but could not provide immediate details about the occupants. In the aftermath, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office closed both directions of the nearby roads. Residents reported that electricity in the immediate area remained cut for approximately two hours following the incident. It was not immediately clear if the nearby homes sustained structural damage from the blast.