Private Jet plane crashes in Florida

A Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed in Greenacres, in Palm Beach County, Florida, at about 12:50 p.m. Sunday, killing everyone aboard. The private jet had departed Austin, Texas, and was bound for the Bahamas. It plunged into a residential area and exploded near a busy road, leaving a crater; video from nearby cars captured the impact. Florida officials said there were no immediate reports of deaths or injuries on the ground. Heavy rain was falling in the region, which was under a flood watch.

Before the crash, the crew reported turbulence, precipitation and ice building on the aircraft, and requested a higher altitude. Air traffic recordings indicate the jet then began descending steeply, with the rate accelerating from thousands to as much as 30,000 feet per minute. The pilot declared an emergency, sent mayday calls and reported an overspeed condition before saying the plane was about to hit the ground. An aviation safety expert said icing and turbulence may have contributed, possibly by causing a stall, but stressed that investigators must consider multiple factors. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation, with Federal Aviation Administration support; officials had not identified a cause or disclosed who was aboard.