The Federal Aviation Administration placed the Learjet crash near Cresthaven, Florida; U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine aboard died, and Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said about 600 people were being evacuated.
The FAA identified the aircraft as a Learjet 60 and said it left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas, bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. Duffy placed the crash at about 12:50 p.m. ET Sunday, Nov. 1.
The FAA said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) would lead the investigation. The board announced plans to send a go-team and hold a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday, Nov. 2. The NTSB's role was covered in an earlier EconoTimes report on the Florida crash investigation.
Flores said evacuees were being relocated to two county shelters. DW and the Bangkok Post quoted him describing a crater along a road near the entrance to a mobile-home park.
DW and the Bangkok Post, citing air traffic control recordings and flight-tracking data, reported that the crew described icing, turbulence and precipitation before requesting to climb. The outlets said a report of rapid descent followed.
