How Did 9 People Die When a Learjet Crashed Into a Residential Area in Palm Beach County, Florida?

Quick answer: Nine people were killed when a Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, Florida, at about 12:50pm local time on Sunday, 1 November 2026. All nine people on board died, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said. The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom Airport in Texas and was headed for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

Key facts

• What: Learjet 60 crash into a residential area
• Where: Near Cresthaven, near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, Palm Beach County, Florida
• When: About 12:50pm local time, Sunday, 1 November 2026
• On board: 9 people
• Deaths: 9 people on board, according to the US Transportation Secretary
• Aircraft: Learjet 60, registration N722BD, a private aircraft
• Route: Austin-Bergstrom Airport, Texas, to North Eleuthera Airport, Bahamas
• Investigation: Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board
• Source: WESH, with reporting from the Associated Press, citing the FAA and the US Transportation Secretary

What happened

The Federal Aviation Administration said a Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area near Cresthaven at about 12:50pm local time on Sunday. WESH reported that the crash produced a fireball and left chunks of pavement near homes.

The aircraft was a private aircraft. It had departed Austin-Bergstrom Airport and was headed for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to the FAA statement reported by WESH.

US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine people on board died. At the time of the WESH report, it was not immediately known whether anyone on the ground had been injured or killed.

No cause was given in the WESH report. The circumstances that led the aircraft to come down in a residential area are a matter for the investigation described below.

Emergency response and disruption

The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office said Military Trail was closed in both directions between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, and asked the public to avoid the area.

About 600 people were evacuated from a nearby mobile home community while federal officials investigated, according to a WESH update. That evacuation reflected the need to secure the crash area while investigators worked, rather than a confirmed toll on the ground.

What happens next

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash. The NTSB is in charge of the investigation, and an FAA team is supporting it, WESH reported.

The investigation will establish the sequence of events that led to the crash. Until the investigators report, the cause remains unconfirmed, and the identities and further details of the people on board were not given in the WESH report relied on here.

Frequently asked questions

How many people died in the Florida Learjet crash?

Nine people on board died, according to US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. All nine people on board were killed.

Where did the Learjet crash?

The Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area near Cresthaven, near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North, in Palm Beach County, Florida.

What kind of aircraft was involved?

A Learjet 60, registration N722BD. The FAA described it as a private aircraft.

Where was the aircraft travelling from and to?

It had departed Austin-Bergstrom Airport in Texas and was headed for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

Who is investigating the crash?

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. The NTSB is in charge, and an FAA team is supporting the investigation.

Were people on the ground injured?

At the time of the WESH report, it was not immediately known whether anyone on the ground had been injured or killed. About 600 people were evacuated from a nearby mobile home community while federal officials investigated.