Nine Killed in Florida Jet Crash Identified

On November 1, a Learjet traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas crashed near Greenacres in Palm Beach County, killing all nine people aboard. The victims’ families identified passengers Adam Robinson, partner Helen Sharp, and the couple’s youngsters Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and nanny Anita Maria Cetina. The pilots were identified as captain Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20.

In a joint statement, the families remembered Robinson and Sharp as devoted parents and said their children were “the light of their lives.” They described Reed and Fehr as joyful and adventurous, and said Cetina cared for the children with tenderness. The families also thanked emergency responders and the Palm Beach County community, and asked for privacy as they grieve.

Filgueiras earned her pilot’s license at 17 while still a high school student. Her family and friends remembered her as determined and dedicated to flying. Gregory was an experienced aviator from Pennsylvania, according to information released about the pilots.

The Learjet went down shortly before 1 p.m. near a residential area, leaving a crater and debris spread across the area. A person in a vehicle near the crash site was injured, and residents of nearby mobile homes were evacuated.

Investigators are examining weather conditions and evidence that the aircraft may have begun breaking apart before impact. The crew had reported icing and moderate turbulence at 35,000 feet before the plane rapidly descended and declared an emergency. The NTSB said the investigation would continue for several days, and investigators hope to recover the cockpit voice recorder.