Learjet 60 Crash in Greenacres: All Nine Aboard Killed, Transportation Secretary Says; Military Trail Closed
A Learjet 60 flying from Austin to the Bahamas crashed into a mobile home neighborhood near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North around 12:50 p.m. Sunday. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine people aboard were killed; as of 4 p.m. there was no confirmation of fatalities on the ground.
GREENACRES — All nine people aboard a Learjet 60 were killed Sunday, Nov. 1, after the plane crashed into a mobile home neighborhood near Greenacres, according to federal authorities reported by the Palm Beach Post and USA TODAY. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine people on board the plane were killed. As of 4 p.m. ET on Sunday, there had been no confirmation of fatalities from people on the ground.
The plane crashed around 12:50 p.m. in the area of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, causing major destruction, including fires and scattered debris, the Post reported. The Federal Aviation Administration said the Learjet 60 had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The crash site is in an unincorporated area near Greenacres and Palm Springs, and the Village of Palm Springs said it has officials on the scene monitoring any effect on water and sewer services; residents who experience disruptions should call the Village Utilities Department at (561) 584-8200, the Post reported.
The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board will investigate, and the NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide all updates, the Post reported. The cause of the crash is unknown. CNN reported that the jet descended 27,000 feet over the course of one minute just before flight tracking data cut off, according to the website ADS-B Exchange, and that there were scattered storms in the area at the time; it is unclear if the storm contributed to the crash, CNN said. Weather conditions in the West Palm Beach area on Sunday afternoon were overcast with rain and lightning and winds from the east at 15 mph, gusting to near 25 mph, and the National Weather Service in Miami put visibility at 7 miles, the Post reported.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said the incident closed all lanes of Military Trail in the area of Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, and authorities said motorists should avoid the area and seek alternate routes. This is a developing story; West Palm Beach Watch News will report only what officials confirm as the NTSB investigation proceeds.
