Nine-Person Jet Goes Down in Palm Beach County Neighborhood

A business jet carrying nine people came down in a residential neighbourhood in Florida on Sunday, setting off an emergency response in the Palm Beach County area.

The aircraft, a Learjet 60, had taken off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. It was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The FAA said the crash happened around 12:50 pm local time on Sunday, November 1, in a residential area near Crestview Heights. There were nine people on board, the agency said.

Authorities have yet to share any official information about the people on the aircraft. It remains unclear how many were killed or hurt. Officials have also not confirmed whether anyone on the ground was injured or whether homes in the vicinity were damaged.

The FAA said it would work alongside the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which will lead the probe and release further updates on the accident.

In a post on X, the NTSB said it had decided to dispatch a special team to look into the crash. Investigators are due at the scene on Sunday and early Monday. The board has also scheduled a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday, with the time and place to be confirmed.

The two agencies gave slightly different locations. The FAA pointed to Crestview Heights, while the NTSB referred to the crash as occurring in Lake Worth Beach, Florida.

Local fire rescue crews were heading to the scene, according to a post on X. Military Trail was shut to all traffic between Crestview Heights and 10th Avenue North after the crash. An emergency closure was later extended from 10th Avenue North to Purdy Lane and Alameda Drive. Residents have been advised to avoid the affected area.

The cause of the crash has not been determined. Investigators have not disclosed the identity of the operator or of anyone aboard.

The NTSB generally releases a preliminary report within a few weeks of an aviation accident, while the final report on probable causes may take more time.

Palm Beach County is well known as the location of Mar-a-Lago, the residence of US President Donald Trump. The crash took place two days before the US midterm elections on Tuesday.