A private jet crashed into a mobile home community in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, resulting in a massive fireball near homes and a major roadway. All nine people on board were killed, according to authorities.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the tragic loss in a post on X, describing the accident as a “horrific tragedy.” As of Sunday afternoon, the identities of the victims had not been publicly released.
Crash Details
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) informed Newsweek via email that the crash occurred in a residential area near Cresthaven at around 12:50 p.m. local time. The plane had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The FAA noted that information was preliminary and could change.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis reported no immediate injuries or fatalities on the ground. Describing the incident to reporters, he said, “It looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.”
Scene of Devastation
According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, the jet came down near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. Social media footage depicted the aircraft plunging steeply toward the ground, followed by a large fireball near the roadway and adjacent homes.
The crash impact created a large crater in the pavement, with flames rising near a utility pole and thick black smoke visible. Burning pieces of pavement were scattered as onlookers gathered. The Palm Beach Post reported significant destruction in the mobile home neighborhood, including fires and scattered debris.
Military Trail was closed in both directions in the accident vicinity, with motorists advised to seek alternate routes. Palm Beach County authorities evacuated about 600 people from the area. The crash occurred during rainfall, with a flood watch in effect until Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
Aircraft’s Final Moments
The aircraft was cruising east at 35,000 feet when pilots reported turbulence, icing, and precipitation, requesting a climb of 2,000 feet. However, the plane then descended at a rate of up to 30,000 feet per minute, exceeding its design limits, as reported by the Associated Press.
Minutes before the crash, the pilot reported ice accumulation on the jet and turbulence inducing altitude changes of up to 700 feet. According to recordings captured by LiveATC.net, the pilot declared an emergency, stating, “We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday – we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute.” The pilot added, “We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute,” before indicating an impending crash.
The crash site is approximately four miles south of the West Palm Beach airport. Earlier on Sunday, President Donald Trump was in West Palm Beach but had departed aboard Air Force One about an hour before the crash to attend rallies in Iowa and Kansas.
Investigation Underway
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the crash, with the NTSB leading the inquiry. An FAA team was dispatched to support the investigation, and Duffy mentioned that both the agency and the Department of Transportation are closely monitoring the situation and will provide additional updates as necessary.
Investigators will verify the aircraft’s registration number, and a preliminary FAA accident report is typically released a day or two following an incident.
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