Pilot's final 7 words revealed before private jet bursts into flames and crashes in Florida
Warning: This article contains graphic images and video which some readers may find distressing.
All nine people on board a business jet were killed when it crashed in a residential district of Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday, officials have confirmed.
According to air traffic control recordings obtained by LiveATC.net, the pilot's last words to controllers were: "We're going to crash into the ground."
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Moments earlier, the pilot had radioed: "We're descending 8,000 - mayday, mayday - we're descending 10,000 feet per minute."
The next transmission was: "We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute."
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the incident as a 'horrific tragedy'.
The Learjet 60 came down in Palm Beach County at approximately 12:50pm EST (5:50pm GMT), officials said.
It had been traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.
What happened to the Learjet 60 before it crashed in Florida?
Reports indicate the jet made a sharp right turn and dropped 8,000 feet in a short space of time before coming down near a main road.
The recordings and flight tracking information show the aircraft was traveling eastbound at 35,000 feet when the pilots reported turbulence, icing and precipitation and requested permission to climb 2,000 feet higher.
Moments afterward, it entered a rapid descent.
Minutes before the crash, the pilot had reported ice building up on the aircraft, along with turbulence that was causing it to shift by as much as 700 feet. At that stage, the situation sounded under control.
"We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence," the pilot informed controllers.
Conditions then deteriorated rapidly.
After flying into heavy rainfall and asking permission to climb to a higher altitude, the pilot declared an emergency as the jet began to plummet.
The rate of descent started at 10,000 feet per minute, rose to 20,000 and then reached 30,000, pushing the aircraft beyond its design specifications.
Roads in the area were closed following the crash, and early reports said the aircraft erupted into flames near a residential neighborhood.
"It was a big-time tragedy that happened," Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said at a press conference near the crash site in Lake Worth Beach.
"When you see that video, it's a jarring thing. It was like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere."
Authorities have not released the identities of the nine victims who died aboard the aircraft.
Who is investigating the Greenacres plane crash?
Both the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have launched investigations into the crash, with the NTSB taking the lead, according to the FAA.
UNILAD has contacted the FAA and the NTSB for comment.
Thomas Bamford