The Eyrie

PALM SPRINGS, FL — Nine people aboard a private Learjet 60 were killed Sunday when the aircraft crashed nose-first into the ground in Palm Beach County, federal officials and emergency responders said. The jet went down around 12:50 p.m. in Palm Springs after departing Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and heading toward North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

Air traffic control recordings captured the aircraft’s final moments, including repeated warnings about a rapid descent and a pilot saying, “We’re gonna crash into the ground.” The crash left a crater on the roadside, spread debris across the area, and sent thick black smoke into the air after the plane burst into flames.

Air traffic audio captures the moments before impact

LiveATC.Net archived recordings show controllers and the pilots talking about weather and altitude changes before the emergency worsened. The pilots mentioned moderate turbulence, icing and precipitation, then said they needed to climb as conditions changed.

In one exchange, the pilot reported an outside air temperature of minus 47 degrees Celsius and said the crew was “managing the ice.” Moments later, the plane began descending quickly. The pilot declared “Mayday, mayday” and said the jet was dropping at 10,000 feet per minute before the descent accelerated even further.

The audio also records the pilot saying the aircraft was in an “oversea condition” and descending at 20,000 feet per minute. Controllers kept asking what assistance was needed, while the final transmission from the cockpit warned of an imminent crash.

Emergency crews found a crater and scattered wreckage

Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Department deputies and county fire rescue personnel rushed to the scene after the crash. They found a large impact crater on the side of the road and debris scattered across the neighborhood, according to the county’s emergency response updates.

Video taken from the area showed the aircraft nose-diving before erupting in flames. Smoke rose into the sky as responders worked around the wreckage and secured the scene. Officials have not said anything publicly about survivors because none were reported from the flight.

The crash site became the focus of the initial response as investigators and first responders began assessing the damage. The impact was described by officials as severe and sudden, with the plane striking the ground almost directly on its nose.

Federal investigators and local authorities are examining what happened

The Federal Aviation Administration said the Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Springs while carrying the flight’s passengers and crew. Multiple investigations are underway, though officials have not yet released a detailed explanation for why the jet lost altitude so quickly.

Weather played a role in the cockpit conversations before the crash, with mentions of turbulence, icing and precipitation. Those conditions are now part of the broader review of the flight’s final minutes, along with the aircraft’s path from Texas toward the Bahamas.

Authorities have not said what may have happened immediately after the final radio transmission. The wreckage, flight path and recorded communications are expected to remain central as investigators piece together the sequence of events.

DeSantis called the scene catastrophic during Sunday briefing

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis described the crash as catastrophic during a Sunday news briefing. He said the scene looked “like a missile going down” and noted that it left a large crater along the roadside.

His comments underscored the scale of the destruction in the neighborhood where the jet came down. The governor did not identify the victims or provide details about any potential Florida connection among the people aboard the plane.

His remarks came as local and federal agencies were still working at the site and preparing the next phase of the investigation. Officials continued to focus on the crash scene, the recovered audio and the flight’s final path.

Authorities have not identified the nine people killed

Officials have not released the names of the nine people who died in the crash. They also have not said whether any of the passengers or crew members were Florida residents.

The passengers and crew were aboard a private plane traveling from Austin to the Bahamas when the crash occurred. Beyond that, authorities have released few personal details as the investigation continues.

For now, the confirmed information centers on the flight’s origin, destination and catastrophic end. Federal officials and local emergency responders say the Learjet went down suddenly, leaving no survivors aboard.