Private jet crashes in Florida, killing nine — NDTV World

A private Learjet 60 traveling from Texas to the Bahamas crashed in the city of Greenacres, Florida. All nine people on board were killed, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

The plane went down near a road in a residential area of Palm Beach County at around 12:50 p.m. local time. It caught fire after hitting the ground, leaving a crater at the site and sending thick black smoke over the area. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that immediately after the crash, there were no reports of deaths or injuries on the ground.

Reports of icing and turbulence

According to NDTV World, the aircraft departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to the Bahamas. At an altitude of about 11 kilometers, the pilots reported turbulence, precipitation and icing to air traffic controllers and requested permission to climb another 610 meters.

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According to radio communications recordings and flight-tracking data, shortly afterward the plane entered a steep dive. Its descent rate increased from 10,000 to 30,000 feet per minute. The pilot declared an emergency and transmitted distress signals, after which the aircraft made a sharp right turn and crashed into the ground.

Crash investigation

The US Federal Aviation Administration is sending specialists to assist the National Transportation Safety Board investigation. The cause of the crash has not yet been established, and authorities did not immediately identify the people on board.

Palm Beach County authorities evacuated about 600 people from a nearby mobile home community. The road near the crash site was closed for an unspecified period.