The crew of a private jet that crashed in Florida on Sunday warned air traffic controllers they were “managing the ice” moments before the fatal accident.
The Learjet 60 was carrying nine people when it plunged through poor weather just eight miles from Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. The aircraft erupted into a huge fireball when it struck the ground near West Palm Beach.
Minutes before the crash, the pilot reported ice building up on the jet as outside temperatures fell to -47 degrees Celsius. Air traffic control recordings also captured warnings of turbulence that was jolting the aircraft by as much as 700 feet (213 metres).
“We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot told controllers.
The situation then worsened rapidly. After the aircraft encountered precipitation and the pilot requested a climb of 2,000 feet, she declared an emergency as the jet began losing altitude at a terrifying rate.
Her voice became increasingly distressed as she realised the aircraft was in serious trouble.
She was heard saying: “Seven two two bravo delta, we’re descending 8,000… mayday, mayday… we’re descending 10,000ft per minute.”
Seconds later, she shouted: “Declaring emergency, declaring emergency, we are in an overspeed condition,” before screaming: “Descending 20,000ft per minute… we’re going to crash into the ground.”
Dashcam footage captured the moment the jet crashed near the road and exploded into a huge fireball. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that nine people were aboard
“I’m here with you, talk to me,” the air traffic controller replied in an effort to calm the pilot.
The pilot responded: “We are descending 22,000ft, and we are banking 60 degrees.” That meant the aircraft’s wings were tilted at a 60-degree angle, leaving the jet almost completely on its side. “We’re out of time,” she screamed.
Our News Outlet has chosen not to publish the final seconds of the recording because the audio is extremely distressing.
All nine people aboard the aircraft were killed, Transport Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed.
The $2 million Learjet 60 crashed onto a scorched roadside in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said.
The impact left a large crater surrounded by a wide area of scattered debris.
The twin-engine business jet plunged near South Military Trail and Marilyn Drive at about 12:50 p.m. It was not immediately clear who was on board.
According to flight data, the aircraft had departed from Austin, Texas, bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Its journey ended abruptly near West Palm Beach.
Haunting dashcam video showed the jet diving sharply toward the ground before triggering a massive explosion.
Several local reports posted online described hearing a powerful boom before the ground began shaking and flames erupted.
One person said they were “lifted from the ground,” while another compared the noise of the impact to a missile strike.
The FAA said the $2 million jet dropped 32,000ft in one minute, producing a roaring amber blaze and sending thick plumes of smoke over the scorched roadside in Greenacres, Palm Beach County
A large crater was visible at the crash site, with debris spread across the surrounding area. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office told Our News Outlet it was responding to a “mass casualty aircraft-related incident”
Heavy rain fell across the region on Sunday. The National Weather Service said a flood watch for excessive rainfall would remain in effect until Monday afternoon.
The crash, which occurred about eight miles from the President’s lavish estate, was powerful enough to bring down power lines.
Trump had been at Mar-a-Lago on Sunday but left from the nearby, newly renamed President Donald J. Trump International Airport after boarding Air Force One at 11:55 a.m. local time, roughly an hour before the Learjet crashed.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office told Our News Outlet it was handling a “mass casualty aircraft-related incident” but did not release additional details.
“Obviously this is a cataclysmic plane crash,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis told reporters near the scene.
“It looked like a missile going down,” he said, adding that there were no reports of injuries among people on the ground.
