Nine people have died after a private Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area in South Florida. All people on board were killed, and according to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, there were no casualties reported on the ground.
The plane was flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. It crashed in Palm Beach County, near Greenacres, meters from homes and cars. A large fire broke out after the impact, and debris and parts of the destroyed road surface were scattered at the scene.
The crew reported a rapid loss of altitude
Cockpit communications recordings preserved by LiveATC.net show that shortly before the crash, the pilot spoke of icing problems, which he initially described as manageable. He later reported that the plane was rapidly losing altitude.
These are the last words the crew heard in the recording before the impact. Footage from the incident shows the plane hurtling towards the ground at a sharp angle and exploding as it hits the ground.
Crash investigation begins
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the incident a “terrible tragedy“. The Federal Aviation Administration is sending officials to the scene to assist the National Transportation Safety Board investigation.
Gov. Ron DeSantis described the crash as “cataclysmic“.
“It looked like a rocket going down and left a big crater on the side of the road“The cause of the crash has not yet been determined. The investigation must clarify whether icing, loss of altitude or another factor led to the plane's crash.
Sources: aljazeera.com, apnews.com, investing.com