Kumar Bahukhandi
Roads remain closed as emergency personnel respond after a private jet crashed in the Greenacres area of Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, 2026. All nine people aboard were killed, according to US authorities. Photo: AFP
Learjet 60 travelling from Austin plunges near homes in Palm Beach County; NTSB leads investigation into the fatal crash
Key Highlights
- All nine people aboard the private aircraft were killed, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed.
- The jet was travelling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
- The crash occurred near Cresthaven at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time on Sunday.
- Emergency operations prompted road closures and the evacuation of hundreds of nearby residents.
- Investigators have not established the cause.
Palm Beach County: All nine people aboard a Bahamas-bound private jet were killed when it crashed near homes and a busy roadway in South Florida on Sunday, November 1, erupting into flames and triggering a major emergency response.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatalities, identifying the aircraft as a Learjet 60 that had departed Austin, Texas. The aircraft came down near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time.
Flight Was Heading to the Bahamas
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the aircraft was flying from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with support from the FAA. Officials have not established what caused the aircraft to descend and strike the ground.
“Today’s plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida is a horrific tragedy,” Duffy wrote on X.
He said federal authorities were monitoring the response and would provide further information as it became available.
Fireball Near Residential Area
Videos recorded near the scene showed the aircraft descending steeply before an explosion sent flames and thick smoke into the air.
The impact occurred close to a roadway and a residential community, prompting an extensive response from firefighters, law enforcement personnel and other emergency services.
Palm Beach County authorities closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North and urged motorists to avoid the area while emergency operations continued.
Hundreds Evacuated from Nearby Community
Officials arranged accommodation for approximately 600 people affected by evacuations near a mobile home community.
Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said authorities were working to ensure residents had somewhere safe to stay. The Red Cross was also available to provide support, according to local reporting.
Residents described a powerful impact, scattered debris and smoke rising over the neighbourhood.
Investigators Examine Final Moments
Reports citing air traffic control recordings indicated that the crew had encountered icing and turbulence before issuing a distress call.
Flight-tracking information also showed a rapid descent before the aircraft disappeared from tracking systems. Those records will form part of the evidence available to investigators; they do not, by themselves, establish the cause of the crash.
Federal Team Deployed
The NTSB announced that it was deploying an investigation team, with personnel expected to reach the scene on Sunday and Monday morning.
The agency also said it planned a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday. Details about the occupants had not been released in the initial official accounts.
The FAA cautioned that preliminary information could change as investigators gathered further evidence.
