Nine people aboard a private jet were killed when it crashed into a residential community in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, 1 November, according to authorities cited by Newsweek.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft went down at about 12:50 p.m. local time near Cresthaven, in a mobile-home community. The jet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. The victims’ identities had not been publicly released in the reports available Sunday.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that the aircraft was a Learjet 60 and that Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed all nine people aboard had died. It was not clear whether anyone on the ground was injured.
Newsweek reported that the crash site was near Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The impact sparked a large fire near homes and a major roadway. Palm Beach County authorities closed Military Trail in both directions around the scene, Newsweek reported.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft losing altitude rapidly before its signal stopped, according to Newsweek, which cited CNN’s reporting of ADS-B Exchange data. The cause of the descent and crash has not been established.
The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating, with the NTSB expected to lead the inquiry, according to Newsweek. The FAA described its initial information as preliminary and subject to change.
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