Watch | 9 Killed in Florida Learjet Crash as Jet Plunges Into Neighborhood Near Busy Road
A Florida Learjet 60 crashed near homes and a busy roadway, killing nine people. Chilling air traffic control audio captured the pilot’s desperate Mayday calls before impact and explosion
AI enhanced screengrab
A business jet carrying nine people crashed into a South Florida neighborhood on Sunday, November 1, and erupted into a massive fireball, killing everyone aboard, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. Newly emerged air traffic control (ATC) audio has captured the crew’s desperate attempts to regain control of the aircraft before the pilot warned, “We’re going to crash into the ground, 722 Bravo Delta.”
The Learjet 60 was traveling toward the Bahamas when it plunged toward the ground near a busy roadway in Palm Beach County at approximately 12:50 p.m. EST. Video recorded by people inside their vehicles showed the aircraft descending rapidly before striking the ground and exploding, sending flames and thick black smoke into the air.
The crash left a large crater beside the road, with burning debris and chunks of pavement scattered around the impact site. Witnesses gathered nearby, visibly shocked by how narrowly the wreckage appeared to miss homes and passing vehicles.
The recording of the final moments aboard the aircraft reveals a rapidly escalating emergency, with the pilot reporting extreme descent rates as air traffic controllers attempted to assist the crew.
The transmission ends with a panicked voice shouting, “Look outside… Holy f–k, we’re out of time!”
Pilot Reports Mayday as Aircraft Descends at 22,000 Feet Per Minute
According to the newly emerged ATC recording, the crew initially reported moderate turbulence and icing conditions while discussing the possibility of finding smoother air. The pilot also reported an outside temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius.
The situation subsequently deteriorated as the aircraft began losing altitude at an alarming rate.
“722 Bravo Delta… we’re descending 8,000 — Mayday, Mayday! We’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” the pilot told air traffic control.
The controller acknowledged the emergency and attempted to support the crew as the aircraft continued its rapid descent. During another transmission, the pilot reported that the jet was in an overspeed condition and descending at 20,000 feet per minute.
The controller sought to reassure the pilot, telling the crew they could select any altitude and adding, “I’m here with you. Talk to me.”
Despite the controller’s efforts, the aircraft continued to plunge toward the ground.
“We’re going to crash into the ground, 722 Bravo Delta,” the pilot said in a subsequent transmission.
The crew later reported a descent rate of 22,000 feet per minute, with the aircraft banking at 60 degrees. Frantic voices could then be heard in the cockpit as the situation became increasingly desperate.
The recording concludes shortly after the final shouted warning that the crew was running out of time.
Transportation Secretary Calls Crash a ‘Horrific Tragedy’
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the crash in a post on X, describing it as a “horrific tragedy.” He said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis also addressed the incident at the crash site, saying there were no immediate reports of injuries or fatalities among people on the ground.
“It was a cataclysmic plane crash,” DeSantis told reporters. “It looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.”
Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, including the aircraft’s rapid loss of altitude and the emergency reported by the flight crew.
Heavy Rain and Flood Watch in South Florida
The crash occurred as heavy rain pounded parts of South Florida. The National Weather Service had issued a flood watch because of excessive rainfall, with the advisory remaining in effect through Monday afternoon.
The presence of icing conditions reported by the crew, the extreme descent rates captured in the ATC recording and the weather conditions in the region are among the details that investigators may examine as they work to establish what happened.
Although the cockpit recording provides a timeline of the crew’s final communications, the cause of the crash has not been established.
The NTSB investigation, supported by the FAA, will seek to determine the factors that led to the aircraft’s descent and its subsequent impact near the roadway.