crashed into a Florida neighborhood

Pilots of the jet that crashed in Palm Beach County had reported turbulence, icing and precipitation and requested to climb 2,000 feet, The Associated Press reported.

Shortly after, the plane went into a steep dive, initially at 10,000 feet per minute and reaching 30,000 feet per minute, speeding the plane beyond its design limits, AP reported based on air traffic control recordings and flight tracking data.

A pilot declared an emergency and issued distress calls. The plane banked sharply to the right before it crashed steeply into the ground.

A witness describes what he saw in the aftermath of a jet crashing in Cresthaven, Florida.

Florida governor Ron DeSantis described Sunday's jet crash in Palm Beach County as "cataclysmic."

“It looked like a missile going down," he told reporters. "It left a big crater on the side of the road."

He thanked first responders for their actions after the LearJet60 crashed into a roadway near a residential area in Cresthaven, erupting into a massive fireball.

"I'm thankful for the very quick response here to stabilize things," he said. "We don't know, there could have been more people in harm's way had they not stabilized the way they did...I mean, there was fire, there was all kinds of debris."

"So just on behalf of Florida, I say thank you," he added.

AP Photo/Mark Elias

The jet that crashed in Palm Beach County appeared to just miss homes and crashed near a roadway in Cresthaven, The Associated Press reported.

It was unclear if the crash caused any damage to homes.

The crash occurred near Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. Drivers were urged to seek alternate routes.

All nine people on board a Learjet 60 that crashed in Palm Beach County on Sunday were killed, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed in a social media post.

"Please join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost," he wrote.