3rd November 2026 – (Greenacres) A 20‑year‑old co‑pilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, has been identified among the nine people who died when a Learjet 60 crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County on Sunday. Family members confirmed that Ms Filgueiras was on the flight from Austin, Texas, bound for the Bahamas when the aircraft entered a steep descent and struck the ground, erupting into a fireball moments after impact.
Relatives said Ms Filgueiras, who grew up in Palm Beach County, had been working as a commercial pilot for around nine months and would have turned 21 in January. Her mother, Camila, speaking from the family home, described a driven young aviator who had long dreamed of flying and pursued intensive training to achieve that goal. Her stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, said she had accumulated significant flying hours for her age and had recently flown with her boyfriend, also a young pilot.
Ms Filgueiras first drew local attention as a high‑school student when she obtained her private pilot’s licence at 17, before she even held a driver’s licence. She trained through an aviation programme introduced by the School District of Palm Beach County, then continued at American Flyers, later instructing students in Fort Lauderdale before moving into commercial operations.
Witnesses reported a near‑vertical descent and a large post‑impact blaze in the Greenacres area. Preliminary accounts referenced turbulence and icing reported shortly before the crash, though investigators have yet to determine the cause. Crews and federal investigators examined a sizeable crater at the scene on Monday as recovery and documentation work continued.
The victims also included a technology entrepreneur, his wife, their children and a caregiver, according to people familiar with the passenger list. Officials said the aircraft had departed Austin earlier in the day and was heading to North Eleuthera when it went down. Formal identification and notifications are under way, and a full investigation by federal authorities is in progress.
Friends and family paid tribute online to Ms Filgueiras, recalling her enthusiasm for aviation and the pride she took in mastering complex aircraft at a young age. As the inquiry proceeds, relatives said they hoped the public would remember her commitment to her craft and the example she set for other young women aspiring to professional aviation careers.