Learjet carrying nine crashes in Florida neighbourhood, erupting in fireball

A business jet carrying nine people crashed into a residential neighbourhood in Florida on Sunday, causing a large fireball. Federal officials said the aircraft was a Learjet 60 and that it went down in Palm Beach County.

The crash happened in a residential area, a setting that puts homes and residents close to the impact. One report says all nine people aboard were killed. Other accounts do not yet confirm the number of deaths, and officials have not said whether any of the passengers or crew survived.

What is still unknown

It is not yet clear whether anyone on the ground was hurt. Officials have not yet given details on the cause of the crash. Federal aviation investigators are expected to examine what went wrong, though the sources do not say when that work will be completed.

The Learjet 60 is a small business jet, usually used to carry a few passengers on private flights. Crashes of aircraft in populated areas are rare, and they often prompt inquiries into maintenance, weather and pilot decisions. The sources do not say whether any of those factors played a role here.

For readers in Florida, the crash is a reminder of how close private aviation can come to homes in busy areas. Further updates are likely as officials confirm the casualty figures and begin their investigation.