Nine people were killed on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when a Learjet 60 business jet crashed in Palm Beach County, according to federal officials. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the aircraft departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Austin, Texas, and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. It crashed at about 12:50 p.m. Eastern Time near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, in an unincorporated area between Greenacres and Palm Springs, near a mobile home neighborhood.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine people aboard were killed, calling the crash a “horrific tragedy.” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described it as a “cataclysmic plane crash.” According to officials, no one on the ground was injured or killed. Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said about 600 residents of the nearby mobile home community were evacuated to shelters, and the Sheriff’s Office closed Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North.

Air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC.net, as reported by USA TODAY and CNN, indicate the crew reported icing and moderate turbulence minutes before the crash, then declared an emergency during a rapid descent. Flight-tracking data reported by Flightradar24 showed a descent rate that at one point exceeded 32,000 feet per minute. Those reports do not establish why the aircraft crashed, and officials have not done so either.

The cause is not known — and the NTSB will lead the search for it

According to the FAA, the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating, and the NTSB will lead the investigation and provide all updates. The NTSB said it was launching a go-team, with investigators arriving at the site on Sunday and Monday, and a media briefing planned in West Palm Beach on Monday.

That process follows a set pattern. Investigators typically document and recover the wreckage, review flight and radar data, obtain weather records, interview witnesses, and examine maintenance history and crew records and communications. The NTSB typically issues a preliminary report within about 30 days; it states early facts and does not assign probable cause. A final report, including the probable-cause finding, can take a year or more. An NTSB investigation is a safety investigation — separate from any insurance claim or civil case, and meant to prevent future accidents, not to decide legal fault.

What this means for families, in general terms

After a fatal crash, Florida’s Wrongful Death Act, sections 768.16 through 768.26, Florida Statutes, generally allows a claim by the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate, for surviving family members and the estate. Who qualifies as a survivor, and what losses can be recovered, depend on the relationship and the facts.

Florida follows modified comparative negligence for most negligence claims: recovery is reduced by a person’s percentage of fault, and barred entirely if that person is more than 50 percent at fault. Wrongful-death deadlines are strict, and aviation evidence can be controlled by investigators for months, so preserving records early is important. None of this predicts the outcome of any claim arising from this crash, and no lawyer can ethically guarantee one.

Our condolences go to the families of the nine people who were lost, and to the Greenacres and Palm Springs residents whose neighborhood was changed on Sunday afternoon. We will update this post only with facts confirmed by the FAA, the NTSB, or other officials.

This article is general information about Florida law, not legal advice for a specific case, and it is not directed at the families of those aboard. Tacher Law offers a free consultation on injury and wrongful-death matters. Call +1 (305) 644-2211.

Sources (all accessed November 2, 2026):