A private Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed in Florida after the pilot reported severe turbulence and icing, plunging into a steep nosedive that ended in a fatal explosion near a roadway.

A private Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed in Florida after the pilot reported severe turbulence and icing, plunging into a steep nosedive that ended in a fatal explosion near a roadway.

A private Learjet 60 carrying nine people crashed in Florida after the pilot reported severe turbulence and icing, plunging into a steep nosedive that ended in a fatal explosion near a roadway.

The Learjet 60 aircraft that crashed in Florida, killing all 9 of its occupants, had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis told reporters at the scene that the plane left a big crater on the side of the road and that it left debris scattered over a significant distance.

Footage of the crash shows the aircraft nosediving and erupting into fire near a roadway, narrowly missing homes

Moments earlier, the pilot had reported turbulence, icing and precipitation as the aircraft travelled east at 35,00 ft. They said that ice was accumulating on the jet and the turbulence was jolting it as much as 700 feet. “We have light, clear ice that is manageable and moderate turbulence,” the pilot told controllers.

They requested to climb another 2000 ft.

However the the plane entered a steep dive and fell 10,000 ft per minute, going beyond the speed the aircraft was designed for, according to air traffic control and flight tracking data.

The pilot declared an emergency as the aircraft plunged and lost altitude. "We're descending 8,000 - mayday, mayday - we're descending 10,000ft per minute,” the pilot was heard saying on the radio.

"We're going to crash into the ground."

About 35 seconds later, they said, “We’re out of time.”

According to data from flight tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft was descending vertically at a speed of 32,000 feet (9,750 metres) per minute.

The jet was a private plane. The occupants have not been identified.

According to the National Weather Service, rain lashed the region on Sunday, and a flood watch was issued for Monday afternoon.

The road was closed in both directions by the the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and motorists were told to avoid the area as firefighters and emergency personnel rushed to the scene,

One resident from the area said that electricity was out for about two hours after the crash.

The circumstances leading to the crash are under investigation.

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