Nine Killed as Learjet 60 Crashes in Palm Beach County, Florida
All nine people aboard a private Learjet 60 died when the business jet crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on November 1, 2026, according to the U.S. Transportation Secretary, whose confirmation was reported by PBS NewsHour.
The aircraft, registered as N722BD, was flying from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. It crashed at about 12:50 p.m. local time in the Greenacres area, near a mobile home community. The plane exploded on impact, and debris was scattered across the site, the Guardian reported.
Within minutes of the crash, the pilot told air traffic control she was dealing with ice and turbulence. Audio of exchanges between the pilot and controllers showed the jet had dropped about 7 miles (11 km) in 60 seconds before it went down, according to the same report.
The National Transportation Safety Board, the federal agency that investigates major transportation accidents, sent a "go-team" of investigators to the site. Staff from the Federal Aviation Administration, the agency that oversees U.S. aviation, are assisting on the scene.
Bombardier, the company that owns the Learjet brand, said it cannot comment on the possible cause of the crash until the investigation is complete. It said it will support the investigating authorities.
