Florida Learjet Crash Kills 9 After Plane Breaks Up Midair
A Learjet 60 business jet traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas crashed on a Palm Beach County, Florida, roadway on November 1, 2026, killing all nine people on board. Those killed included two crew members, a family of four with two young children, a caregiver, and two other passengers.
The aircraft, operated by Aurora Aviation (doing business as Upper Jets), plummeted more than 27,000 feet in under a minute. It struck the ground at an estimated 350 feet per second, creating a large crater.
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said the aircraft was likely disintegrating before impact. The plane’s left elevator was found in three pieces, scattered between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site—evidence that strongly suggests a midair structural failure.
Cockpit audio captured the crew describing icing conditions as “manageable” before the aircraft rapidly lost altitude and the crew issued a desperate “Mayday, mayday!” call. The plane had been cruising at approximately 35,000 feet when the pilot first reported icing.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the crash as a “horrific tragedy.” The FAA is supporting the NTSB investigation. A preliminary report is expected within about a month, while a full determination of the cause could take more than a year.
Source: ABC News – Learjet Crash Florida