AUSTIN, Texas — Federal investigators are searching for answers after a Learjet 60 that took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport crashed Sunday afternoon in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board.
The business jet left Austin in the morning and was scheduled to land at North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to federal officials. The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft went down around 12:50 p.m. in a neighborhood near several businesses, triggering a fiery explosion and a massive emergency response that closed several local roads.
Federal authorities have not identified who was on the plane or determined the cause of the crash. Flames and thick smoke could be seen rising from the damaged roadway and witnesses reported hearing a loud boom for miles.
Mike Slack, an aviation attorney, licensed pilot and former NASA aerospace engineer, reviewed available information about the flight, including audio between the pilot and air traffic control. According to Slack, weather may have played a significant role. (FlightRadar24)
Austin-Bergstrom told CBS Austin the aircraft departed as a general aviation flight and not a commercial one, but said no information about the passengers, crew or owner was available at the time.
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Mike Slack, an aviation attorney, licensed pilot and former NASA aerospace engineer, reviewed available information about the flight, including audio between the pilot and air traffic control. According to Slack, weather may have played a significant role.
“It is clear that the pilot was very concerned about their circumstance, was trying to get permission to climb the aircraft, was encountering weather that exceeded what she felt like the airplane was capable of sustaining,” Slack said.
The business jet left Austin in the morning and was scheduled to land at North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to federal officials. The Federal Aviation Administration said the aircraft went down around 12:50 p.m. in a neighborhood near several businesses, triggering a fiery explosion and a massive emergency response that closed several local roads. (SBG)
Slack pointed to weather as a possible factor. “So I would say that the probabilities favor a weather-induced event,” he said. “We will learn later how the aircraft ended up where it ended up to intersect with the weather,” Slack said.
Investigators will also look into the flight path. “Why was the airplane where it was when it encountered this weather? That’ll be a very, very serious question to be raised about the piloting and the flight planning,” Slack said.
At a news conference, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the event a “big-time tragedy that happened” and said, “I’m thankful for the very quick response here to stabilize things.”
Federal investigators are searching for answers after a Learjet 60 that took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport crashed Sunday afternoon in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board. (SBG)
DeSantis said the crash left a large crater and scattered debris over a wide area. He confirmed there were no reports of anyone on the ground being hurt or killed and praised Palm Beach County sheriff’s deputies and fire rescue crews for their swift response.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said all northbound and southbound lanes of Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10 Avenue North are closed until further notice. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue called the emergency response an “extended incident” and warned drivers to avoid the area.
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The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are leading the investigation. The NTSB said, “The NTSB is launching a go-team to investigate the accident. Investigators are arriving at the accident site today and tomorrow morning.”
CBS Austin has been closely following developments and will continue to provide updates as authorities work to determine what caused the crash.