A 20-year-old aspiring airline pilot, a Texas entrepreneur and his family were among nine people killed Sunday when a private jet crashed into a neighborhood in Palm Beach County, Florida. Federal investigators said Monday that weather was a major focus of their inquiry, though the cause remained undetermined.
The Learjet 60 left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport around 10:37 a.m. on November 1, bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. It crashed shortly before 1 p.m., leaving no survivors aboard. At least one person on the ground sustained a leg injury, and aircraft debris was spread across homes, businesses and ball fields.
The crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence at roughly 35,000 feet before asking to climb to 37,000 feet. An emergency declaration followed as the aircraft rapidly descended. NTSB member Tom Chapman said Monday that the crew told controllers the plane was descending in an overspeed condition. The National Transportation Safety Board said preliminary evidence also suggested the jet might have started breaking apart before striking the ground. The FAA is assisting the investigation.
Among those killed was Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, of Palm Beach County. She obtained her private pilot's license at 17, before earning a driver's license, and hoped to become a commercial pilot. Her training began at her high school's aviation academy, and she later graduated from American Flyers flight school. The New York Post identified Jeff Gregory, 55, as the pilot in charge.
Adam Robinson, 45, an Austin technology entrepreneur, was traveling with his wife, Helen Sharp, 40, and their children, Emma Robinson, 4, and Charlie Robinson, 2. Robinson was CEO and co-founder of Retention.com and also headed RB2B and Moltsets. Sharp was an entrepreneur and potter who owned a public relations company.
In a joint statement, their families described Robinson and Sharp as generous, welcoming people and devoted parents whose children were central to their lives. Retention.com, RB2B and Moltsets also mourned Robinson, recalling his friendship, mentorship and energetic leadership. The companies said their immediate priority was supporting employees and the family, and requested privacy for those grieving.
Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr were also aboard the aircraft. Their families described a couple committed to each other and to building a life together, remembering their affection for loved ones and their shared sense of adventure. Another victim, Anita Maria Cetina, cared for Emma and Charlie and was regarded as part of the Robinson-Sharp family. Relatives remembered her love and devotion.
Upper Jet, the aircraft's operator, declined to confirm the captain's identity when contacted by Fox News Digital and directed questions about the crash to federal investigators. Thomas Noetzel, the company's director of operations, offered condolences to those affected and said Upper Jet was cooperating with local, state and federal authorities. He said further information would come from the NTSB and other authorities.
