Business Jet Crash in Florida Kills Nine After Steep Dive A Learjet carrying nine people crashed into a Florida neighborhood, killing everyone on board after a steep dive and explosion near residential homes. A business jet carrying nine people nose-dived into a residential neighborhood in South Florida on Sunday and erupted into a giant fireball. The aircraft appeared to just miss homes before crashing near a busy roadway, killing everyone on board. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the fatal outcome shortly after the incident occurred. Catastrophic Crash in Palm Beach CountyThe Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County at 12:50 p.m., according to Secretary Duffy, who called it a horrific tragedy. Video recorded by people inside their cars captured the terrifying moment the Bahamas-bound aircraft plunged from the sky. Flames flickered around chunks of pavement lining the crater as people expressed shock that it landed only feet from homes. Thick black smoke engulfed the crash site as onlookers watched the devastation.Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the event as a cataclysmic plane crash that looked like a missile going down. He noted that it left a big crater on the side of the road and stated there were no immediate reports of anyone on the ground injured or killed. The Federal Aviation Administration is sending a team to support the National Transportation Safety Board investigation into the cause.Turbulence and Icing Precipitated EmergencyThe aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to the Bahamas. Authorities did not immediately say what caused the jet to go down or who was on it. The plane was heading east at 35,000 feet when pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation. They requested to climb 2,000 feet to avoid the dangerous weather conditions ahead.Moments later, the plane entered a steep dive, first at 10,000 feet per minute, then 20,000 feet per minute. The speed increased up to 30,000 feet per minute, speeding the plane beyond its design limits. Air traffic control recordings and flight tracking data revealed the severity of the descent. A pilot declared an emergency and issued distress calls as the situation deteriorated rapidly.Distress Calls Reveal Rapid DescentMinutes before the crash, the pilot reported ice accumulating on the jet and turbulence that was jolting it by as much as 700 feet. The pilot radioed, We are descending eight thousand and mayday, we are descending ten thousand feet per minute. This was followed by a radio transmission stating, We are in an overspeed condition descending twenty thousand feet per minute.The final communication from the cockpit delivered a devastating acknowledgment of what was about to happen. The pilot stated, We are going to crash into the ground. The plane banked sharply to the right before it crashed steeply into the ground near the roadway. Rain pounded the region on Sunday, and a flood watch due to excessive rainfall was in effect through Monday afternoon.Community Evacuation and Ongoing InvestigationJim Reynolds, a spokesperson for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, said the jet was a private aircraft. He could not immediately provide details about who was on the flight. Palm Beach County authorities are evacuating about 600 people from a nearby mobile home community. This evacuation is ongoing while federal officials investigate the crash site thoroughly.County officials confirmed that the road will be closed until further notice. The incident has caused significant disruption in the Greenacres area, where the crash occurred. Residents are being urged to stay clear of the area to allow investigators full access. The cause of the accident remains under active investigation by national transportation authorities.