‘We’re Going to Crash’: Pilot’s Final Words as Florida Jet Explodes, Killing All Onboard

‘We’re Going to Crash’: Pilot’s Final Words as Florida Jet Explodes, Killing All Onboard

All nine occupants of a private business jet have died after the aircraft crashed into a South Florida neighbourhood, triggering a massive explosion.

The Bahamas-bound Learjet 60 went down on Sunday near a busy roadway in Palm Beach County, narrowly missing nearby residential buildings.

Dramatic footage captured the aircraft plunging from the sky before hitting the ground and erupting into a huge fireball.

Thick black smoke subsequently covered the crash site, while burning debris and damaged pavement surrounded a large crater.

Several motorists and residents witnessed the disaster, expressing shock that the aircraft crashed dangerously close to homes and passing vehicles.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the accident in a Sunday statement posted on X.

According to Duffy, the Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County at approximately 12:50 p.m.

He described the incident as a “horrific tragedy” and announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) would support investigations.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is expected to lead the investigation into what caused the aircraft to crash.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said there were initially no reports of ground casualties or injuries following the incident.

Describing the destruction, DeSantis said: “It was a cataclysmic plane crash. It looked like a missile going down and left a big crater on the side of the road.”

The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was travelling towards the Bahamas.

Airport spokesperson Jim Reynolds confirmed that the aircraft was privately operated but declined to identify its occupants.

Federal Aviation Administration records identified a Delaware corporation as the registered owner of the Bombardier-manufactured Learjet 60.

Flight information indicates that the aircraft was cruising at approximately 35,000 feet when the pilots encountered severe weather conditions.

The crew reportedly experienced turbulence, icing and precipitation before requesting permission to climb another 2,000 feet.

However, the aircraft subsequently entered a steep descent, with its vertical speed increasing dramatically within moments.

Air traffic control recordings indicate that the descent accelerated from approximately 10,000 feet per minute to 20,000 feet per minute.

The aircraft eventually exceeded 30,000 feet per minute during the terrifying descent, according to flight-tracking information.

Before the crash, the pilot declared an emergency and transmitted several distress calls to air traffic controllers.

The crew had earlier reported accumulating ice and turbulence that reportedly caused altitude fluctuations of approximately 700 feet.

“We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot initially told air traffic controllers.

As conditions worsened, the crew reported an alarming loss of altitude and declared an emergency.

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

The pilot later reported that the aircraft had entered an overspeed condition while descending at approximately 20,000 feet per minute.

“We’re in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute,” the pilot said.

The crew’s final communication included a chilling acknowledgment of the impending disaster: “We’re going to crash into the ground.”

Flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 subsequently reported that the aircraft’s vertical descent rate exceeded 32,000 feet per minute.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service had issued a flood watch for the region because of excessive rainfall.

Heavy rain had affected the area on Sunday, with the weather advisory remaining active through Monday afternoon.

The crash happened near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, prompting authorities to shut down roads in both directions.

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office urged motorists to avoid the area as firefighters and emergency responders attended the scene.

Authorities also began evacuating approximately 600 residents from a nearby mobile home community as emergency operations continued.

A woman working close to the crash site reportedly said electricity had been unavailable in the area for approximately two hours.

Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, weather conditions, flight recordings and other evidence to establish what caused the fatal crash.