Final Moments: Pilot Calls 'Mayday' as Learjet Drops 27,000 Feet in Florida

A private Learjet 60 business jet nosedived into a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft struck the ground near a busy roadway in the city of Greenacres, exploding and leaving a large crater. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a "horrific tragedy" in a social media post. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the crash occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. Eastern time.

The jet originated at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. It was en route to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Flight tracking data indicates the aircraft was flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet before the incident. The FAA stated that nine individuals were aboard the plane. Officials have not yet released the names of the deceased or specified the number of passengers versus crew members. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, told the Associated Press that the aircraft was private. He said he could not say who was on the flight.

Air traffic control recordings captured the pilot’s communications in the final minutes of the flight. The pilot reported encountering light, clear ice and moderate turbulence. He noted an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius. The pilot reported precipitation and requested a climb of 2,000 feet. Minutes later, the situation deteriorated rapidly. The pilot radioed, "We're descending 8,000, mayday, mayday, we're descending 10,000 feet per minute." He then reported an overspeed condition while descending at 20,000 feet per minute.

The descent rate continued to increase, reaching as high as 30,000 feet per minute. The plane banked sharply to the right before impacting the ground at a steep angle. The FAA reported that the jet fell from 35,250 feet to 8,750 feet in one minute. Flight tracking site ADS-B Exchange recorded a drop of 27,000 feet in about a minute before the data signal was lost. The pilot told air traffic controllers, "We're going to crash into the ground." CBS News reported that the pilot also stated, "We're out of time." The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation.

The crash site is located near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The area is roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. It is about four miles south of the local airport, which was renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport earlier this year. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the scene and spoke to reporters. He described the event as a "cataclysmic plane crash" that looked like a missile going down. DeSantis noted that there were no reports of ground casualties at the time of his press conference.

Video footage from nearby vehicles captured the jet plunging from the sky. The aircraft struck near the roadway and exploded, sending thick black smoke into the air. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater, which was feet from homes. WPBF video showed the road buckling where the jet hit. Anthony Blackmon, a nearby resident, said he was about 500 feet from the crash site. He stated that debris hit his house and that everything was on fire. Roger Forcelle said he felt the aircraft pass over his home and that the house shook.

Andrew Mannino told CNN that he heard and felt a boom. He reported that power went out immediately and was still out. He smelled smoke and saw a large black cloud rise. Another witness described the aftermath as looking like a meteor hit the ground. The debris field stretched a long distance from the impact point. Palm Beach County first responders were praised by DeSantis for their quick action. The NTSB launched a go-team on Sunday, with investigators expected to arrive Sunday and Monday morning. A media briefing is planned for Monday in West Palm Beach.

Approximately 600 residents in a nearby mobile home community had to leave their homes Sunday night. The crash scene blocks the entrance to the mobile home park. County officials are treating the area as a crime scene while federal investigators work. No official has alleged that a crime took place. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said residents were being sent to two county shelters. The Red Cross was on standby, and Palm Tran buses were ready to transport residents once law enforcement gave the all-clear. Flores emphasized the need to ensure these 600 people had shelter for the night.

Palm Beach County closed Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive until further notice. The road is open only to emergency vehicles. Drivers were directed to use 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel. Haverhill Road and Kirk Road were designated for north-south travel. A county commissioner warned that parts of the road could remain closed for an extended period due to the crater. The timeline for reopening also depends on the progress of the federal investigation.

Scattered storms were present in the area at the time of the crash. The jet passed through a stronger storm cell a few minutes before beginning its descent. The flight was within an area where the FAA had issued a convective SIGMET, a warning of thunderstorms that threaten aircraft. It has not yet been determined whether weather played a role in the incident. Heavy rain fell across the region on Sunday. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect through Monday afternoon. In January 2024, the NTSB issued a safety alert on in-flight icing, warning that ice can make managing flightpath and airspeed difficult.

Mary Schiavo, a CNN aviation analyst and former inspector general of the U.S. Transportation Department, said dashcam video will be important to investigators. She stated that the descent was not controlled. Schiavo said it was clear that the pilots had lost control of the plane. She noted that the steep dive could have torn parts off the aircraft. A flight recorder could have been destroyed in the explosion. It is unknown whether the jet carried a cockpit voice recorder. FAA rules require multi-engine jets to carry one only when they are flown for hire. Records show this specific jet was offered for charter flights.

The aircraft is registered as N722BD. FAA registry data lists the Learjet 60 as owned by LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. CNN reported that the jet is listed online as available for charter. Officials have not identified who operated Sunday’s flight. This crash is the deadliest ever involving a Learjet 60, according to Flight Safety Foundation data. In 2008, four people were killed when a Learjet 60 crashed on takeoff in Columbia, South Carolina. NTSB records show this is the second deadliest crash in the United States this year. A skydiving plane crash in Butler, Missouri, in June killed 12 people.

The Learjet brand was made famous by Bill Lear’s Lear 23 with wealthy travelers in the 1960s. Canadian manufacturer Bombardier most recently built the Learjet. Bombardier stopped making new Learjets in 2021 but still supports the planes currently in service. The NTSB has not determined a cause for the crash. The FAA is supporting the NTSB’s investigation.