Learjet Slams Into Palm Beach Road at Full Speed, Leaving Wing Outline Stamped In Asphalt

 

A Learjet 60 tore into a Palm Beach County roadway Sunday afternoon with enough force to stamp the outline of its wing and winglets into the pavement. All nine people aboard died on impact.

The jet, registration N722BD, left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Around 12:50 p.m. it entered a steep, uncontrolled descent over the Greenacres area and struck near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The nose-first hit opened a crater in the asphalt, scattered debris, and ignited a fireball. The distinct wing imprint left in the road stands as stark evidence of the speed and angle of impact.

Air traffic control audio captured the final moments. The crew reported light icing and moderate turbulence, then declared mayday while descending at roughly 10,000 feet per minute. Moments later they stated they were in an overspeed condition dropping at 20,000 feet per minute and banking hard. One transmission ended with the words “We’re going to crash into the ground.” A female voice then said, “Holy f**k, we’re out of time.” Tracking data showed the aircraft falling tens of thousands of feet in about a minute.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the deaths and called the crash a “horrific tragedy.” He asked the public to pray for the families of those lost. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with FAA support. Palm Beach County officials closed Military Trail in both directions. Roughly 600 people nearby required temporary shelter because of debris and damage. No fatalities on the ground have been confirmed.

The wing outline in the asphalt is more than a mark. It records the raw kinetic force of a business jet that lost control and drove straight into the ground at extreme speed. Nine people never made it to the Bahamas. The investigation will determine what went wrong. The imprint already shows how hard they hit.

Sources: Reuters, CNN, ABC News, Associated Press, Federal Aviation Administration statements, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, air traffic control audio reports.