Nine people dead in Learjet crash in south Florida, officials say
A Learjet crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board. The FAA said the jet had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was headed to the Bahamas; the NTSB has launched an investigation.
1. Crash and investigation
The Learjet crashed Sunday afternoon in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board, US transportation officials said. The FAA said the private jet had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The NTSB has launched an investigation.
2. Final cockpit recording
An air traffic control recording captured the cockpit reporting ice and moderate turbulence before declaring a mayday and describing a rapidly accelerating descent. About 35 seconds after the mayday, the last words heard were, “We're out of time.” Flightradar24 said the vertical descent rate at one point exceeded 32,000 feet per minute.
3. Evacuations and aircraft maker
Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said the crash left a “massive crater” near the entrance to a mobile home park, and about 600 people were being evacuated to two county shelters. Heavy rainfall and thunderstorms were occurring in the area, AccuWeather said. The aircraft was a Bombardier-made Learjet 60; Bombardier said it would support the investigation and cooperate as needed.
