Learjet 60 Plunges Into Palm Beach Neighborhood, Killing All Nine Aboard
The 20-year-old co-pilot was identified as Nathalia Filgueiras, and air traffic records show the aircraft was losing altitude at 20,000 feet per minute before impact.
By Jason Lee ·
A Learjet 60 crashed into a residential area in Palm Beach County on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft struck the ground near a busy roadway at 12:50 p.m., creating a large crater and a fireball that reached within yards of nearby homes. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the total loss of the flight in a post on X, describing the event as a horrible tragedy.
The crash followed a rapid deterioration in flight conditions. Air traffic control recordings captured by LiveATC.net show the pilot reporting light clear ice and moderate turbulence shaking the plane down to 700 feet. After encountering precipitation and requesting a climb, the pilot declared an emergency as the jet began a steep descent. Radio transmissions recorded the aircraft dropping at a rate of 8,000 feet per minute, then accelerating to 20,000 feet per minute while exceeding speed limits. The pilot transmitted a final message stating the plane was going to crash into the ground just before impact.
Authorities have identified one of the victims as Nathalia G. Filgueiras, a 20-year-old co-pilot. Her father confirmed the identity to family members. Filgueiras was of Brazilian descent and learned to fly from her father, who is a commercial pilot. Her sister stated that flying was Filgueiras' greatest passion.
Witnesses in nearby vehicles filmed the moment the jet fell from the sky. The footage shows the aircraft tilting sharply to the right before slamming into the earth. Thick black smoke engulfed the site, and flames flickered around asphalt fragments lining the crater. People gathered at the scene, expressing shock that the plane landed so close to houses and passing cars.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis visited the crash site and addressed reporters. He called the incident a catastrophic air accident, noting that the plane appeared like a descending missile. DeSantis described the large crater left beside the road as evidence of the impact force.
The National Transportation Safety Board will lead the investigation into the crash. The Federal Aviation Administration has indicated it will support the NTSB in this process. The jet was en route to the Bahamas when it went down. The pilot had declared an emergency moments before the collision.
Source: KTAZ
