20-year-old copilot identified in Palm Beach plane crash
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed all nine people aboard the Learjet 60 died in Sunday’s collision near a busy highway.
By Arjun Weber ·
Family members identified Nathalia G. Filgueiras, 20, as one of the nine victims in the Palm Beach plane crash. Her father confirmed the identification on Sunday. Filgueiras served as the copilot on the executive jet that crashed in the southern Florida community.
The aircraft, bound for the Bahamas, plunged from the sky and exploded into a large fireball. It landed near a busy road, with flames flickering around asphalt fragments and a crater formed at the crash site. Witnesses in nearby cars captured video of the descent. They described the scene as chaotic, with people gathering to stare at the wreckage located meters from homes and centimeters from passing vehicles.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the death toll on social media. He stated that all nine occupants of the Learjet 60 perished. The crash occurred at 12:50 p.m. in Palm Beach County. Duffy characterized the incident as a horrible tragedy. The Federal Aviation Administration will assist the National Transportation Safety Board in its investigation.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the site and described the event to reporters. He called it a catastrophic accident. DeSantis said the plane appeared like a descending missile. He noted that the impact left a large crater beside the road.
Filgueiras is from a Brazilian family. Her sister said her father, a pilot, taught her how to fly. The sister described flying as Filgueiras’s greatest passion. The family is currently processing the loss of the young aviator.
Air traffic control recordings obtained by LiveATC.net show the pilot declared an emergency shortly before impact. The pilot reported clear and light ice that was manageable, along with moderate turbulence. The pilot also mentioned the aircraft was being shaken to an altitude of 700 feet. The situation worsened rapidly as the plane encountered precipitation and the pilot requested to climb.
As the aircraft began losing altitude at an alarming rate, the pilot transmitted a mayday call. The radio logs indicate the plane was descending at 8,000 feet per minute, then 10,000 feet per minute. The pilot later reported an overspeed condition while descending at 20,000 feet per minute. The final transmission acknowledged the impending crash with the words: We are going to crash to the ground.
