Florida Learjet crashes, killing nine including young co-pilot

Summarised from 7 outlets · 12 reports · Updated 4 Nov, 02:51 · Archive

A Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County on Sunday, killing all nine people on board, including 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras.

A Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida on Sunday afternoon, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft was travelling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas to the Bahamas when it entered a steep nosedive, descending at more than 20,000 feet per minute before crashing into a residential area and erupting into flames.

The co-pilot has been identified as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. She obtained her private pilot's licence in October 2023 at the age of 17, before she even had a driver's licence. She began taking flying lessons in 2020 and also received instruction from her father, who learned to fly recreationally in 2018. Filgueiras, who grew up in Palm Beach County, had been working as a commercial pilot for nine months and had accumulated approximately 1,300 hours of flying experience.

Her mother, Camila Corteleti, confirmed her identity to multiple outlets. Filgueiras was working for Upper Jets, a private charter company based in Fort Lauderdale. She would have turned 21 in January. Her mother told the New York Post: 'I wanted her to live her dream, but I knew that her dream was going to be the thing that would take her away from me.'

The other pilot was identified as 55-year-old Jeffrey Gregory. In audio recordings of the plane's final moments, Filgueiras can be heard making increasingly urgent mayday calls to air traffic control. She reported: '722 Bravo Delta, we're descending 8,000 Mayday, Mayday, we're descending 10,000 feet per minute.' Moments later she declared: 'We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute.' Near the end of the transmission, she stated: 'We are going to crash into the ground' and 'We're out of time.' Audio also captured Gregory reciting part of the Lord's Prayer during the final seconds.

A friend of Filgueiras's who knew her since middle school, Mikaela Schluth, described hearing the audio as 'definitely, probably the worst thing I've ever heard'. She praised Filgueiras's handling of the emergency, saying: 'I'm just so proud of how she handled it and was able to stay calm and give information.'

Among the passengers were Austin-based tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 44, his wife Helen Sharp, 40, their two children Emma, four, and Charlie, two, their nanny Anita Maria Cetina, and family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr. The group was reportedly travelling to celebrate Robinson's birthday.

Investigators are examining multiple factors in the crash. Weather data shows the aircraft entered a rapidly intensifying thunderstorm cell shortly before the pilots reported icing and significant turbulence. Experts have identified two main theories: icing on the aircraft or severe thunderstorm turbulence. Among the big questions is whether the plane's horizontal stabilizer broke off, which would make the aircraft virtually uncontrollable, and whether the pilots had a clear understanding of the storm they were approaching.

How it is being reported

• Friends and family of female pilot, 20, killed in Florida jet crash break silence over haunting final audioThe friends and family of the 20-year-old co-pilot on board the doomed Learjet plane which crashed in Florida have paid tribute to her. Nathalia Filgueiras was named as one of the pilots flying the jet, which crashed in Palm Beach County on Sunday. All nine victims of the crash have since been named by US officials, alongside Ms Filgueiras. The passengers have been named as Texan multi-millionaire tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 44, his wife Helen Sharp, 40, their two children Emma, four, and Charlie, two, their nanny Anita Maria Cetina and two family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.…GB News · 3 Nov, 21:52
• NASA boss defends Florida Learjet co-pilot who ‘knew she was dying’ during chilling callsNathalia Gadelha Filgueiras was the 20-year-old co-pilot on board the Learjet 60 travelling to the Bahamas when it crashed in Florida, killing all nine people on boardThe Mirror · 3 Nov, 20:43
• Friend reacts to Learjet co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras’ haunting last words before deadly crashA longtime friend of the 20-year-old co-pilot of the Learjet that crashed in Florida on Sunday has spoken out about hearing her pal’s haunting final words.New York Post · 3 Nov, 17:55
• Stepdad of Learjet co-pilot, 20, says: 'Our daughter is down there, under the ground with that airplane' as her best friend said audio of final moments 'worst thing I've ever heard'The friends and family of a 20-year-old pilot who died in a fiery blaze after the jet nosedived in Florida have spoken out for the first time.Daily Mail · 3 Nov, 17:21
• Doomed Learjet co-pilot whose plane fatally nosedived in Florida identified as Nathalia FilgueirasThe co-pilot of a doomed Learjet airplane, which was captured in horrifying dashcam video plummeting to the ground and exploding into a fireball in Palm Beach County, Florida on Sunday has been identified. The Post confirmed that Nathalia Filgueiras — a 20-year-old who got her pilot license while still in high school — was co-piloting...New York Post · 3 Nov, 14:22
• Co-pilot's friend describes hearing audio of her last momentsThe co-pilot, 20-year-old Nathalia Filgueiras, can be heard saying in the audio recordings that the jet was rapidly descending.CBS News · 3 Nov, 13:10
• Doomed Learjet co-pilot identified as woman, 20, as male pilot heard praying during final seconds before crash that killed nineThe co-pilot of a small plane which crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, has been identified as a 20-year-old woman. Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras has been named as one of the co-pilots in the fatal crash which took the lives of nine people. Shocking dash cam footage captured the moment the Learjet 60 craft plunged 34,000 feet before crashing into the ground just before 1pm local time. Ms Filgueiras, who gained her pilot’s licence aged just 17, was said by family members to have been at the controls of the plane when it crashed. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say The young aviator, who grew up…GB News · 2 Nov, 18:42
• Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras: The doomed Palm Beach co-pilot who got her license at 17 after learning to fly from dad - as crash sparks debate about young pilots after plummeting to death alongside 8 othersNathalia Gadelha Filgueiras was among nine who were killed in Sunday's plane crash.Daily Mail · 2 Nov, 17:44
• 20-year-old woman was piloting plane that slammed into Florida street killing 9Nathalia Filgueiras was piloting the Learjet 60 from Texas to the Bahamas when it crashed in Florida on SundayIndependent World · 2 Nov, 16:11
• Co-pilot killed in fiery Florida Learjet crash identified as 20-year-old who learned to fly before drivingNathalia Gadelha, the 20-year-old co-pilot killed in the South Florida Learjet 60 crash, earned her private pilot license at 17.Fox News · 2 Nov, 15:51
• Learjet co-pilot heard screaming before fatal Florida plane crash named as 20-year-oldA young pilot who earned her flying licence at just 17 has been named following a fatal Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach County, Florida.The Mirror · 2 Nov, 15:33
• Learjet co-pilot in fatal Florida crash ID’d as 20-year-old who got her license in high schoolThe young aviator was previously featured in local media when she got her private pilot's license at just 17 back in October 2023 — before she even had her driver's license.New York Post · 2 Nov, 14:07

In this story: Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras · Jeffrey Gregory · Adam Robinson · Helen Sharp · Palm Beach County · Austin · Upper Jets

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log