A 20-year-old co-pilot aboard a Learjet that crashed in Florida sent a worrying message to her boyfriend just minutes before the fatal accident, telling him she was encountering turbulence and ice, her devastated family has revealed.
Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras remained in contact with her loved ones and air traffic control shortly before the aircraft plunged towards the ground in Palm Beach County on Sunday afternoon, killing everyone on board.
Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras’ final message before the crash
Speaking to NY Post, Filgueiras’ stepfather, 44-year-old Thiago Corteleti, recalled receiving information about her final exchange with her boyfriend, who is also a pilot.
He said she had sent the message at approximately 12:40 p.m., around 10 minutes before the crash occurred.
“She just said, ‘I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice,’” Corteleti told The Post.
The young pilot’s final communication has added to the family’s grief as they try to come to terms with the sudden loss.
Filgueiras had 1,300 flight hours
Despite being only 20, Filgueiras had already accumulated approximately 1,300 hours of flying experience, according to her family, who spoke proudly of her achievements in aviation.
The identity of the other pilot aboard Sunday’s flight has not yet been made public. Distressing audio captured the final moments inside the cockpit, with the co-pilot appearing to recite the Lord’s Prayer as Filgueiras screamed while the aircraft descended rapidly.
“We are in overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute,” the pilot radioed in. “We are going to crash into the ground.”
Speaking at a briefing on Sunday evening, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the crash site as devastating, highlighting the severity of the destruction.
He said the aircraft appeared to have struck the ground with tremendous force, comparing its impact to that of a missile. DeSantis also noted that debris was scattered across a large area, while emergency crews discovered a massive crater at the site.
Aircraft was bound for the Bahamas
The Learjet had departed Austin, Texas, on Sunday morning and was heading towards the Bahamas when it crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida.
All those aboard were killed in the accident. The identities of the remaining passengers have not yet been released.
The circumstances surrounding the crash remain a subject of investigation.