NTSB Indicates Learjet Broke Apart Before Impact in Florida Crash
Investigators found evidence that the aircraft disintegrated in mid-air, killing co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras and eight others near West Palm Beach.
By David Almasi ·
National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman stated on Sunday that physical evidence suggests the Learjet was breaking apart before it struck the ground near West Palm Beach.
Chapman explained that debris from the aircraft has been located at distances away from the primary impact zone. The plane crashed into a residential neighborhood in Greenacres, roughly seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach, killing all nine people on board.
The co-pilot has been identified as Nathalia G. Filgueiras, age 20. Her father, Allan Filgueiras, confirmed her identity to NBC Miami. The aircraft was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when the incident occurred.
Giulia Filgueiras, the co-pilot's sister, said the family is from Brazil and that their sister learned to fly from her father. Giulia described aviation as Nathalia's greatest passion. Local reports indicate Nathalia earned her pilot's license in 2023 while a senior at West Boca Raton Community High School. Her license certified her to fly the jet but did not grant her command authority for the flight.
Air traffic control recordings show the pilot reported accumulating ice and severe turbulence while flying east at 35,000 feet. The pilot noted the turbulence was jolting the aircraft by up to 700 feet. Rain was falling over the region at the time of the incident.
The pilot requested a climb of 2,000 feet before declaring an emergency. Radio transmissions captured the rapid loss of altitude, with the pilot reporting descent rates of 8,000, 10,000, and eventually 20,000 feet per minute. The pilot stated the plane was in an overspeed condition and predicted it would crash into the ground.
Residents near the crash site described the immediate aftermath. Anthony Blackmon, a neighbor, said debris hit his house and set the road on fire. He noted that thick black smoke engulfed the area. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the scene as a cataclysmic crash that left a large crater on the side of the road.
