The crew of a private jet reported managing ice in the cockpit moments before their aircraft crashed eight miles from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, killing all nine people aboard. The Learjet 60 experienced severe turbulence and a rapid loss of altitude in poor weather conditions on Sunday.
According to air traffic control recordings, the pilot stated minutes before the crash that they were encountering "light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence," with an outside temperature of -47 degrees Celsius. The situation quickly escalated after the jet encountered precipitation and requested to climb.
The pilot then declared an emergency, reporting an "overspeed condition" as the aircraft began losing altitude at an alarming rate. Distress in the pilot's voice was audible as she relayed the jet was descending 8,000 feet per minute, then 10,000 feet per minute, and ultimately 20,000 feet per minute before the final moments.
"We are descending 22,000ft, and we are banking 60 degrees," the pilot communicated, indicating the jet was nearly sideways. "We're out of time," she screamed.
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the Learjet 60, en route from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas, crashed near West Palm Beach, creating a massive crater and fire upon impact. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the scene as a "cataclysmic plane crash," noting it resembled a "missile going down."
Dash camera footage captured the jet's sharp descent and the subsequent explosion. The crash occurred approximately eight miles from Mar-a-Lago, though Trump had departed the area shortly before the incident. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office confirmed it was a "mass casualty aircraft-related incident." No injuries were reported on the ground.