Learjet 60 Crash Kills 9 in Florida as Mayday Audio Details 20,000-Foot Descent

3 articles · Updated · NBC News · Nov 2

All nine people aboard the Learjet 60 died when it slammed into a Palm Beach County roadway around 12:50 p.m., exploding near the Cresthaven neighborhood with no reported deaths or injuries on the ground.
Air traffic control audio captured a mayday call reporting the jet descending 10,000 feet per minute, then 20,000, after the crew cited light icing, moderate turbulence, precipitation and requested a higher altitude.
Dashcam and aftermath video showed the aircraft nose-diving at high speed and leaving a flaming crater, while debris spread across a wide area and forced road closures.
About 600 residents of a nearby mobile home park were evacuated for shelter overnight as officials responded to the crash site.
The jet had departed Austin for the Bahamas, and the FAA and NTSB are investigating while a flood watch and scattered thunderstorms remained in effect across southern Florida.