Learjet 60 Crash Near Mar-a-Lago Kills All Nine Aboard From Austin, Texas

Crash near Mar-a-Lago

A Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed in a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida, close to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, and US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people on board were killed. The aircraft departed from Austin, Texas, and was bound for the Bahamas before it crashed at 12:50 local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and Duffy’s statement. The crash site was near Cresthaven, about nine miles (14 km) from Mar-a-Lago, and images showed a crater-sized hole in a residential road with fire and debris from the Learjet 60 scattered.

+3Near Mar-a-Lago9 of 12 outlets reported it · not in CiberCuba and 2 more▾

Palm Beach County Fire Rescue declared a "mass casualty incident," and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said the crash happened on Military Trail, a six-lane road with businesses and eateries. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters that "as of now, we don't have any reports of anyone who was on the ground...who was killed or injured."

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Evacuations and emergency response

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office closed all northbound and southbound lanes along Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North until further notice to secure the area and allow emergency personnel to operate.

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Palm Beach County Fire Rescue told the public to "avoid the area. This will be an extended incident," as investigators mobilized and roadways were shut near the crash site.

DeSantis said 600 local residents were being evacuated from a nearby trailer-park community, and he described the crash as "It's like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere."

Sean Duffy posted on X that the Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County at 12:50 p.m., and he called it a "horrific tragedy" while the FAA sent a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation.

+1Investigation set7 of 11 outlets reported it · not in 24 Heures and 3 more▾

The National Transportation Safety Board said it was launching a go-team to investigate, and the agency said investigators were expected to arrive later Sunday and Monday morning.

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Investigation and what is known

The FAA said the Learjet 60 departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and was headed to the Bahamas, and the NTSB and FAA were set to lead the inquiry into what caused the aircraft to go down. Authorities had not established what caused the aircraft to go down, and the crash occurred around 12:50 pm local time near Cresthaven, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. CNN reported that the pilot told air traffic control they were descending 10,000 feet per minute and then declared an emergency, saying "We’re in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute … We’re going to crash into the ground."

CNN also reported that the pilot earlier radioed "We have a light layer of clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence," and it said the outside temperature was -47 degrees Celsius and moderate turbulence bounced the plane. Investigators were expected to arrive at the site Sunday and Monday, while officials said the crash left a large debris field and considerable damage to local infrastructure, including water lines, with the road reopening expected to take at least 30 days.

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