Learjet 60 crashes in Greenacres, Florida, killing all nine aboard; NTSB leads investigation

A Learjet 60 business jet carrying nine people crashed in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, Florida, at about 12:50 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 1, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine aboard were killed, according to the Associated Press. Officials had not released the names of those on board at the time of writing, and we are not naming anyone.

What officials have said

• FAA: the jet departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, with nine people on board. The agency called its information preliminary and subject to change.
• Investigation: the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, and the NTSB leads and will provide updates. The AP reported that NTSB investigators were expected at the site on Sunday and Monday, with a media briefing set for Monday in West Palm Beach.
• Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis: at the scene, he called the crash "cataclysmic" and said the aircraft appeared "like a missile going down," leaving a large crater on Military Trail. He said the debris field extended a significant distance.
• Palm Beach County: officials said there were no reports, at the time of the news conference, of anyone on the ground killed or injured. About 600 people in a nearby mobile home community are being relocated because the site is a crime scene while the investigation proceeds, with two shelters on standby.
• Palm Beach County Sheriff's officials placed the crash in Greenacres, a city of about 45,000 people roughly 7 miles southwest of West Palm Beach, according to the AP.

Timeline (Sunday, Nov. 1, Eastern Time)

• Before 12:50 p.m.: the jet, a Learjet 60, leaves Austin for the Bahamas.
• About 12:50 p.m.: the aircraft crashes near Military Trail, per the FAA.
• Afternoon: DeSantis and county officials hold a news conference. Military Trail is closed until further notice.
• Monday, Nov. 2: NTSB briefing scheduled in West Palm Beach.

What is not known

No official has said what caused the crash. The AP reported that air traffic control recordings captured by a public radio-monitoring site and flight-tracking data indicate the pilot reported turbulence and icing at 35,000 feet and then declared an emergency during a rapid descent. We are labeling that as the AP's reporting from recordings, not an NTSB finding. The NTSB has not released a cause, and aviation experts quoted by the AP said investigators will consider all factors. The National Weather Service had a flood watch in effect for the area through Monday afternoon, and rain fell across the region on Sunday.

Also unknown: the identities of the passengers and crew, who owned or operated the flight, and whether it was a charter or private use. The AP, quoting an Austin airport spokesperson, said only that the jet was private.

What it means for travel and the area

• Drivers: Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive is closed, with a crater in the road. County officials said parts of the roadway could face an extended closure that depends on the federal investigation. They recommend 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alameda Drive for east-west travel and Haverhill Road and Kirk Road for north-south travel.
• Residents: about 600 people from the nearby community are displaced for now. Check Palm Beach County's emergency channels for shelter information.
• Business aviation: the NTSB has not said when it will release preliminary findings. The agency's newsroom posts updates.

What to watch

• Monday's NTSB briefing in West Palm Beach, for the first official account of the flight data and cockpit recordings.
• Release of the passengers' names by officials, once families are notified.
• How long Military Trail stays closed.

Sources: FAA statement and Palm Beach County and Gov. DeSantis news conference as reported by WPTV; Associated Press reporting of statements by Transportation Secretary Duffy, the NTSB and Palm Beach County Sheriff's officials; National Weather Service. This is a developing story and will be updated as officials release information.