A Learjet 60 private jet crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, on November 1, killing all nine people aboard. The aircraft had departed Austin, Texas, and was heading to the Bahamas when the crew reported icing conditions, moderate turbulence and precipitation.
Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot declaring an emergency as the jet rapidly lost altitude. The descent reportedly accelerated from 10,000 to more than 20,000 feet per minute. Moments before impact, the pilot warned, “We’re going to crash into the ground,” followed by the chilling final words: “We’re out of time.”
Flight-tracking data indicated that the aircraft’s descent rate exceeded 32,000 feet per minute. The jet struck the ground near a mobile home community, erupted into flames and left a large crater. Approximately 600 residents were evacuated, but no injuries on the ground were immediately reported.
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration launched an investigation. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined
