Nine killed as business jet strikes homes in South Florida

A commercial aviation accident in the United States left nine people dead when a private jet crashed into a residential neighborhood in South Florida on Sunday.

All occupants of the Learjet 60 were killed in the impact. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy labeled the incident a horrific tragedy in a post on X. Federal Aviation Administration personnel were en route to assist the National Transportation Safety Board with the investigation.

Audio recordings from the cockpit, preserved by LiveATC.net, provide context on the final moments. The pilot initially described ice accumulation as manageable. Later, the crew reported a rapid loss of altitude. The recording ends with the crew stating they were going to crash into the ground.

The aircraft was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. Austin-Bergstrom International airport confirmed the jet was private but did not release the names of the passengers. Online videos show the plane striking the ground at a steep angle and high speed, followed by a large explosion. Footage of the aftermath shows flames around debris and chunks of pavement.

The jet landed just meters from homes and parked cars. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis addressed reporters at the scene. He described the crash as cataclysmic and noted that there appeared to be no casualties on the ground. DeSantis compared the descent to a missile falling, noting it left a large crater beside the road.

The specific identities of the nine victims have not been publicly announced by local authorities as of this report. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the inquiry into the cause of the crash.