Nine people died when a Learjet 60 crashed into a South Florida neighborhood shortly after takeoff, authorities reported. The aircraft was en route from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport to the Bahamas when it experienced a catastrophic failure.
According to preliminary reports from the crew, the plane encountered icing conditions and an overspeed situation prior to the crash. The exact sequence of events leading to the fiery wreck is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The identities of the victims have not yet been released pending notification of next of kin. The crash occurred in a residential area, but initial reports suggest no one on the ground was injured. Emergency services responded rapidly to the scene, which was quickly engulfed in flames. The impact scattered debris across the neighborhood.