A private jet that departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport en route to the Bahamas crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday. An airport spokesperson confirmed that all nine passengers on board were killed. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration.
Austin aviation attorney Mike Slack said early reports suggest a sudden loss of control, and that the plane was maneuvering near a very intense thunderstorm before impact. Slack said weather conditions in Florida would not have been suitable for any aircraft. He said the pilot had little or no time to react and that the plane descended more than 20,000 feet per minute.
The Learjet 60 crashed in the Cresthaven residential area around 12:50 p.m. Eastern time, according to the FAA. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said during a Sunday news conference that there were no reports of injuries to people on the ground. The NTSB said it has assembled a team, which will arrive at the scene Sunday evening through Monday morning. The agency will hold a media briefing in West Palm Beach on Monday.