9 killed in private jet crash near West Palm Beach

Nine people died when a private jet crashed into a residential area in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the deaths of all nine occupants. The aircraft, a Learjet 60 with tail number N722BD, had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. It was bound for the Bahamas at the time of the incident.

The plane plunged into the neighborhood near the intersection of Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in Palm Beach County. Witnesses described the scene as a massive fireball near a busy roadway. The impact left a large crater in the pavement. Thick black smoke rose from the site as flames flickered around debris. The crash occurred only meters from nearby homes and inches from passing vehicles.

Jim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, identified the aircraft as private. He stated that the event is definitely a tragedy. Reynolds did not provide details on the identities of the passengers or crew. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the cause of the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration is sending a team to assist with the inquiry.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office closed the roads in both directions around the crash site. Emergency personnel, including firefighters, responded quickly to the area. Authorities asked drivers to avoid the zone. One woman working nearby reported that power to the area remained cut for approximately two hours after the impact. It was unclear immediately if any houses sustained structural damage.

The FAA has not yet released information on what triggered the fall. The investigation remains ongoing. The crash marks the second major aviation incident in the region in recent years, though this specific event involved a private aircraft rather than commercial air traffic. The exact time of the crash was Sunday, with updates continuing as authorities process the scene.