Florida jet crash: investigators examine whether the aircraft broke apart in the air

On Sunday 1 November 2026, a private jet crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida. All nine people on board died. Investigators are examining whether the aircraft began to break apart while still in the air.

What is known about the crash

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the plane was flying to the Bahamas from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. US media and Polish news outlets report that it was a Learjet 60. The aircraft came down near a mobile home community in the Cresthaven area. It burst into flames on impact, leaving a large crater by the road.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said the scene looked like a falling rocket. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said there were no survivors. About 600 residents of nearby homes were evacuated, and local authorities arranged temporary shelter for them.

According to reports, the crew sent a "mayday" signal. Shortly before the crash, the pilots were said to have reported weather problems.

The investigation

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the cause. Preliminary findings suggest the plane may have broken apart before hitting the ground. For now this is only a hypothesis. No official cause has been given, and detailed findings usually take a long time to emerge.

The victims

The victims' families issued a joint statement on social media. It confirmed the identities of seven passengers:

• Adam Robinson, 44, a Texas tech entrepreneur and founder of Retention.com and RB2b,
• his wife Helen Sharp, an artist,
• their children, four-year-old Emma and two-year-old Charlie,
• the children's nanny, Anita Maria Cetina,
• two friends of the family, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.

Two pilots also died in the crash. In the statement, the families wrote that Emma and Charlie were the "light" of their parents' lives.