Florida plane crash leaves nine dead after private jet dives into road

Nine people have died after a private business aircraft plummeted into a Florida road on Sunday, according to federal and state authorities. No injuries or deaths were reported among people on the ground.

The incident occurred around 12:50 p.m. local time on Military Trail, a busy six-lane corridor lined with shops and dining spots near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County. The crash site is located roughly nine miles from Mar-a-Lago, the private club owned by President Donald Trump. Trump had spent Sunday morning at the estate and departed aboard Air Force One from an area airport roughly an hour prior to the disaster.

Federal Aviation Administration officials confirmed that the aircraft, identified as a Learjet 60, had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was en route to the Bahamas. Flight tracking records showed the plane descending at catastrophic speeds in its final moments, falling hundreds of feet each second.

Air traffic communications captured distressed calls from the cockpit as the situation rapidly deteriorated amid stormy weather. Crew members initially noted moderate turbulence, mentioned they were dealing with ice, and requested permission to climb due to worsening precipitation. Shortly afterward, a voice stated the jet was dropping at 10,000 feet per minute. The crew then issued an emergency distress call, shouting that the plane was overspeeding and dropping at 20,000 feet per minute, warning they were about to hit the ground. Approximately 35 seconds following the first emergency alert, the final transmission noted that they had run out of time.

Dashcam recordings circulating online captured the jet striking the street at an almost vertical angle, producing an enormous fireball and leaving a substantial crater surrounded by flaming wreckage. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the visual evidence as shocking, comparing the descent to a missile strike.

Emergency crews declared a mass casualty event following the impact. While all nine occupants on the aircraft perished, officials confirmed that motorists and pedestrians on the road managed to escape harm. The identities of the victims have not yet been released.

Local authorities initiated the evacuation of about 600 people from a mobile home community situated close to the scene. The impact inflicted major damage on surrounding municipal infrastructure, including local water pipes. Officials estimated that the roadway would remain shut down for at least a month while repairs and site clearance continue.

United States Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the event a horrific tragedy and announced that the FAA is deploying personnel to assist the National Transportation Safety Board with a full inquiry into the cause of the disaster. Heavy rain and thunderstorms were active across the region when the incident occurred.