“Ella es mi alma gemela,” declared Allan Filgueiras to CNN on Friday, mourning his 20-year-old daughter Nathalia, who was the copilot of the Learjet 60 that crashed from 35,000 feet into a southern Florida road, killing all nine people on board.
The tragedy occurred when the private Learjet 60, traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas, crashed in the metropolitan area of Palm Beach. Among the nine victims were seven passengers—including tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, Helen Sharp, and their two children, Emma and Charlie—alongside pilot Jeff Gregory and the young copilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras.
Defense of Professional Training
Following online scrutiny regarding the 20-year-old’s age and experience, her family and legal representatives held a press conference to defend her qualifications. Allan Filgueiras was accompanied by his attorney, Stuart Grossman, who stated that Nathalia accumulated more than 1,300 hours of vuelo, held a commercial pilot license, and was “perfectamente capaz de ser la copiloto de este vuelo, a pesar de su corta edad”. Grossman emphasized that the briefing aimed to preserve her memory and reputation.
The family also received backing from John Cox, a former airline pilot and head of Safety Operating Systems, who noted that starting a professional career young does not indicate a lack of preparation. Jared Isaacman, speaking in a personal capacity as a NASA administrator, defended her actions in the cockpit during the emergency, stating that she was doing her job and communicating with air traffic control in a terrifying situation.
Crew Reports Icing and Turbulence During Rapid Descent
Audio recordings captured the final minutes in the cockpit, where the crew reported icing, turbulence, and an overspeed condition during a rapid descent.
Pilot Declares Mayday as Descent Rate Rapidly Increases
At 12:48:28 p.m. Miami time, the pilot declared a mayday as the aircraft began descending at a rate of 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) per minute, which subsequently increased to 10,000 feet (3,100 meters) per minute. At 12:48:36 p.m. Miami time, the plane dropped at a velocity of 20,000 feet (6,100 meters) per minute, which the pilot stated exceeded the aircraft’s limits. By 12:49:01 p.m. Miami time, the pilot reported that the plane was plummeting at a rate of 22,000 feet (6,700 meters) per minute.
