Learjet Co-Pilot Killed in Fiery Florida Crash Identified as Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20 — Young Aviator Earned Her Pilot’s License Before She Could Drive

A 20-year-old co-pilot killed in a devastating Learjet crash in Florida has been identified as Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, a talented young aviator who earned her pilot’s license while still in high school.

Filgueiras was aboard a Learjet 60 travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when the aircraft plunged into a residential area in Palm Beach County on Sunday, November 1, 2026.

All nine people aboard reportedly died after the jet entered a steep descent, falling at more than 20,000 feet per minute before crashing in Greenacres.

Her mother, Camila, and stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, confirmed her identity to The New York Post, sharing the heartbreaking story of a young woman who had dedicated her life to flying.

Final Message Sent Minutes Before the Crash

According to Corteleti, 44, Filgueiras contacted her boyfriend, Justin, approximately 10 minutes before the aircraft went down.

“She just said, ‘I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice,'” he told the newspaper.

Air traffic control recordings reportedly captured desperate communications from the aircraft before the crash.

The Learjet struck the ground in a residential neighbourhood, producing a large fireball and leaving a burning crater in the roadway.

Footage from the scene showed the devastating aftermath as emergency crews responded.

Authorities have not yet established what caused the aircraft to lose altitude. The reported turbulence and icing conditions have not been confirmed as the cause of the crash.

A Remarkable Aviation Career That Began in High School

Filgueiras grew up in Palm Beach County and developed a passion for aviation after flying with her father in his Beechcraft Bonanza.

She began taking flying lessons in 2020 and earned her private pilot’s license in October 2023, when she was just 17.

At the time, she was a senior at West Boca Raton High School and had not yet obtained her driver’s license.

Her achievement attracted local media attention, including an interview with CBS12.

“I definitely do brag because people say, ‘Oh, you can’t drive,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I can fly,'” she said.

Her pilot training was supported by the School District of Palm Beach County’s Aviation Academy.

She later graduated from American Flyers, a flight school with locations in Texas and Florida, and began working as a flight instructor in Fort Lauderdale.

According to her family, she had accumulated approximately 1,300 flight hours and had been working as a commercial pilot for nine months.

Her ultimate ambition was to become an airline pilot.

Mother Recalls the Moment Her Daughter Chose to Fly

Filgueiras was the middle child of three sisters, and her family remembered her determination to pursue aviation from an early age.

Camila recalled how her daughter returned home from a flight with her father and announced that she wanted to become a pilot.

Although her mother initially resisted the idea, Corteleti encouraged Nathalia to follow her ambition.

The young aviator eventually built a career around the passion that had begun during those childhood flights.

In a recent social media video, she celebrated flying alongside her boyfriend, highlighting their aviation qualifications despite both being younger than 21.

Her mother said colleagues recognised her daughter’s ability and dedication.

“Everybody was so impressed with her. They hired her because they knew how good she was and how much she loved it,” Camila recalled.

Grieving Family Pays Heartbreaking Tribute

Speaking from her Palm Beach County home, Camila described the conflicting emotions she had experienced watching her daughter pursue a career in aviation.

“I wanted her to live her dream, but I knew that her dream was going to be the thing that would take her away from me,” she said.

Despite her fears, she remained immensely proud of Nathalia’s achievements.

“I know she was living her dream,” she added.

Filgueiras would have celebrated her 21st birthday in January.

Her mother reflected on how much flying had meant to her daughter, while struggling to comprehend the sudden loss.

“I know if she could pick a way to go, this would be her way to go, but I didn’t want it to be so soon,” she said.

At the time of the report, authorities had not publicly identified the other eight people aboard the aircraft.

Officials were expected to provide further information about the crash during a Monday press conference, as questions remained about the circumstances leading to the Learjet’s fatal descent.