Audio recordings of 911 calls made by witnesses after a Learjet 60 crashed in Florida have been released, revealing the shock and confusion experienced by nearby residents as they reported the devastating incident.
As previously reported, nine people aboard the Learjet 60 were killed on November 1 when the aircraft plunged toward the ground at a rate exceeding 22,000 feet per minute.
The horrific crash was captured on dashcam footage by passing motorists. The private jet was seen slamming into the ground near a mobile home community, triggering a massive fireball and leaving behind little more than a crater.
Those killed in the crash were identified as pilot Jeff Gregory, 55, co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras, 20, and passengers Adam Robinson, 44, a multimillionaire technology executive, his wife Helen Sharp, and their two young children, Emma, four, and Charlie, two. Their nanny, Anita Maria Apellido, was also aboard, along with family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.
Following the crash and enormous explosion, several local residents contacted 911 to report what had happened. Some callers were so startled by the blast that they initially feared a missile or bomb had fallen from the sky.
One distressed caller told the dispatcher: “I think an airplane fell or something. There was an explosion.”
The dispatcher asked whether the noise could have been caused by a lightning strike. The caller replied: “We don’t know.”
The witness then explained: “It shook our house and everything which is why I was worried about it.”
Another caller sounded equally alarmed, telling emergency services: “We need, I think, police because I think a bomb just landed.”
According to NBC6, another witness described the terrifying moment by saying: “I think an airplane, a rocket, something fell from the sky. We felt our house shake, and then we heard an explosion when we ran outside.”
A separate caller emphasized the size of the blast, telling the dispatcher: “It is a really big explosion. It’s around the trailer homes that are built here.”
Earlier, recordings of the communication between the aircraft and Air Traffic Control had also been released. The audio captured Filgueiras describing the jet’s final moments before it crashed in Greenacres.
The recording, published on LiveATC, a website that broadcasts air traffic control communications, showed Filgueiras initially speaking calmly as she reported moderate turbulence and icing conditions. She then requested permission to climb to a higher altitude.
However, the situation deteriorated within seconds. As the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly, Filgueiras issued a mayday call.
“We’re descending 8,000 – mayday, mayday – we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” she said.
Moments later, she reported an even more alarming descent rate.
“We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute.”
A scream could then be heard before Filgueiras urgently called out to Captain Gregory.
“Look outside, Jeff!
“Holy f***, we’re out of time.”
“Holy f*ck, we’re out of time” Heart crushing ATC audio captures the moments before a Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing all 9 souls on board.
VIA: @thenewarea51 https://t.co/CWOtYjJqef
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 1, 2026
Afterward, Air Traffic Control attempted to contact the aircraft, asking the crew, “how do you hear?” However, no response came from the jet.
An investigation into the cause of the devastating crash is underway. Meanwhile, recovery crews are continuing efforts to retrieve parts of the aircraft from the crater left at the crash site.
