Nathalia Filgueiras identified as co-pilot in fatal Florida Learjet crash
The 20-year-old commercial pilot was one of nine people killed when the aircraft crashed in Palm Beach County on Sunday.
Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, a 20-year-old co-pilot, has been identified as one of the nine people killed when a Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County on Sunday afternoon, according to the New York Post.
The aircraft was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it entered a steep nosedive and hit the ground near Cresthaven at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that all nine people on board died in the accident, which he described as a "horrific tragedy."
Filgueiras, who had been working as a commercial pilot for nine months, obtained her private pilot's license in October 2023 at age 17. Her stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, said she had 1,300 hours of flying experience.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the impact as "cataclysmic," noting that the plane left a large crater beside a road. He stated there were no reports of people on the ground being killed or injured.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the crash. Officials are expected to hold a press conference in West Palm Beach on Monday to provide further details.