Florida: All nine persons aboard a business jet lost their lives on Sunday when the aircraft nosedived into a South Florida neighborhood and erupted into a massive fireball, narrowly missing nearby residences along a busy road. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that there were no survivors.

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Footage captured by bystanders in passing vehicles showed the terrifying moment the Bahamas-bound Learjet 60 plunged dramatically from the sky, impacting near the roadway and exploding on impact. Flames flickered around shattered pavement lining a deep crater as onlookers expressed disbelief that the jet had struck mere feet from houses and inches from moving traffic, sending thick black smoke into the air.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy posted on X that the plane crashed in Palm Beach County at 12.50 pm, describing the incident as a “horrific tragedy.” He noted that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is dispatching a team to assist the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) with the investigation.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated that there were no immediate reports of ground casualties.

“It was a cataclysmic plane crash,” DeSantis told reporters at the scene. “It looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.”

Heavy rain impacted the region on Sunday, with the National Weather Service issuing a flood watch due to excessive rainfall through Monday afternoon.

According to the FAA, the private aircraft had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was en route to the Bahamas. Officials have not yet disclosed the identities of the victims or determined the cause of the disaster. Air traffic control recordings and flight tracking data reveal that while cruising east at 35,000 feet (approximately 11 kilometres), the crew reported turbulence, icing, and heavy precipitation, requesting a climb to 37,000 feet (about 610 metres higher).

Shortly afterward, the Learjet entered an extreme dive, reaching descent rates of 10,000 feet per minute, then 20,000 feet per minute, and accelerating up to 30,000 feet per minute, speeds far exceeding the aircraft's structural design limits.

Audio from LiveATC.net indicates that minutes prior to the crash, the pilot reported ice buildup and severe turbulence tossing the aircraft by up to 700 feet (213 metres).

“We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot reported to controllers.

Conditions escalated quickly. Following the climb request and sudden loss of control, a pilot issued emergency distress calls.

“We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday - we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” the pilot radioed.

“We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute,” the pilot radioed, before delivering a devastating acknowledgment of what was about to happen. “We’re going to crash into the ground.”

The aircraft banked sharply right before impacting the ground. Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, confirmed the plane was privately owned.

Palm Beach County authorities initiated the evacuation of approximately 600 residents from an adjacent mobile home community while federal investigators inspect the site. Local officials indicated the roadway will remain closed until further notice.

The crash took place in Greenacres, Florida, a city of 45,000 residents situated roughly 7 miles (11 kilometres) southwest of West Palm Beach.

AP