Nine killed as small jet crashes and explodes in Florida
Officials say the aircraft broke apart before hitting the ground, and a 20-year-old copilot is reported among the dead.
Key points
- Nine people died when a Learjet 60 crashed near West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.
- A 20-year-old copilot is reported to be among the dead, according to US media.
- One man on the ground suffered a leg injury.
- The NTSB is investigating ice, turbulence and whether human error played a role.
- The probable cause could take a lengthy investigation to determine.
Nine people lost their lives on Sunday after a compact aircraft came down in a fiery blast in Florida, US outlets report. The Learjet 60 had departed Austin, Texas, and was bound for the Bahamas. It came down near West Palm Beach.
Among the dead is reportedly a 20-year-old copilot, Nathalia Filgueiras. US media say she earned her pilot’s licence at 17. Camila Corteleti, the young woman’s mother, has told US outlets that her child was killed in the fireball. The identities of the remaining eight people aboard are still unknown.
How the crash unfolded
The crew radioed air traffic control after takeoff from Austin, reporting ice and moderate turbulence. They asked to climb to a higher altitude, 37,000 feet, if possible. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the plane began to descend less than 30 seconds later, and the crew then issued a mayday call.
NTSB member Tom Chapman said the radio transmission soon became impossible to understand. Flight analysis suggests the jet was falling by hundreds of feet every second before it struck the ground. Audio from air traffic control captures a crew member declaring an emergency and warning of a steep descent. The last words from the cockpit were reported to be that the crew was out of time.
The aircraft came down on Military Trail, a six-lane road in Cresthaven lined with shops and restaurants. The site is about nine miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. Images show a large crater in the middle of a residential street. Debris was spread across sports fields, businesses and homes, which officials said could suggest the plane broke up in the air.
Investigation and the official response
The NTSB said it will examine how far ice and turbulence contributed to the crash, and whether human error was involved. Officials are still working out if the plane carried a cockpit voice recorder during the flight and whether that device could be retrieved. The agency is coordinating with the FAA, staff from Learjet, weather specialists and air traffic control specialists.
NTSB air safety investigator Timothy Monville said recovering the wreckage from the crater would be a daunting challenge. The NTSB has described determining the probable cause as a lengthy process. Storm activity was recorded near the site when the plane went down.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the footage was deeply disturbing and compared the descent to a missile. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy called the crash a horrific tragedy. That morning, Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago, and roughly sixty minutes before the crash he took off from a nearby airport aboard Air Force One, according to reports.
Why the story matters
The crash has raised fresh questions about flying in severe weather near busy residential areas. Its impact on people on the ground is also significant, with one man injured. Investigators have not yet confirmed the cause, and they warn that answers will take time. Unverified dash-camera footage circulating on social media has not been independently confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the Florida jet crash?
A small Learjet 60 crashed and exploded near West Palm Beach on Sunday, killing nine people. According to US media, the jet had flown from Austin, Texas, toward the Bahamas. One man on the ground was injured.
Who was on board the jet?
US media report that a 20-year-old copilot, Nathalia Filgueiras, was among the dead. The identities of the other eight people aboard are still unknown.
What is the NTSB examining?
The National Transportation Safety Board is looking at how much icing and rough air contributed to the crash and whether pilot error played a part. Investigators are also trying to locate the cockpit audio device and see whether it can be recovered.
Sources
This article was written with the help of AI from reports by the outlets listed above. See our Editorial Policy. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.