Following the announcement by U.S. transportation officials that a private Learjet aircraft had crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all nine people on board, footage capturing the moment of the crash, along with a chilling audio recording, began circulating.
اضافة اعلان
An audio recording of communications between the aircraft and Miami Air Traffic Control, published by LiveATC.net, which streams air traffic control communications, captured the plane's final moments in unusual detail. Initially, a person in the cockpit informed air traffic controllers that they were "dealing with icing" and experiencing "moderate" turbulence, while seeking better flying conditions.
"We're Going to Hit the Ground"
Less than a minute later, the individual issued a "Mayday, Mayday" distress call, reporting that the aircraft had suddenly begun descending at a rate of 10,000 feet per minute. Seconds later, the pilot declared an emergency as the descent rate accelerated to 20,000 feet per minute.
Less than 20 seconds later, the voice from the cockpit was heard saying, "We're going to hit the ground," before reporting that the descent rate had reached 22,000 feet per minute as the aircraft began turning.
The final words heard from the cockpit, approximately 35 seconds after the first distress call, were a hurried statement: "We're out of time."
Meanwhile, flight-tracking website Flightradar24 reported that data showed the aircraft's vertical descent rate had exceeded 32,000 feet per minute at one point.
"Like a Missile Falling"
Videos circulating on social media showed the aircraft crashing to the ground beside a road before erupting into a massive fireball.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement that the aircraft had departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was heading to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, speaking at a press conference near the crash site in Lake Worth Beach, described the incident as a major tragedy.
"When you see that video, it's shocking. It looked like a missile coming down, followed by a massive explosion and debris flying everywhere," he said.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) announced that it had launched an investigation into the crash, which U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described as a "horrific tragedy."
FAA records showed that the aircraft was a Learjet 60, manufactured by Canadian company Bombardier, and owned by a company registered in Delaware. Bombardier said it would fully support the investigation and cooperate as required.
The crash occurred as the area was experiencing heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, according to weather forecasting company AccuWeather.
