Learjet pilot identified as 20-year-old; NTSB says plane broke apart before Florida crash

A federal investigator said Monday that a business jet likely began to disintegrate in the air before it struck the ground in South Florida. The NTSB member, Tom Chapman, stated that parts of the aircraft are expected to be found far from the impact site. The crash killed all nine people on board the Bahamas-bound Learjet.

The accident occurred on Sunday afternoon in Greenacres, a community located about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. Video from nearby residents shows the plane plunging from the sky and erupting in flames. The impact created a crater and left debris scattered across the area.

Anthony Blackmon, a resident near the crash site, described the scene to NBC affiliate WTVJ. He said debris hit his house and the road was engulfed in fire. Blackmon noted that he had always seen crashes on the news but never expected one to happen so close to his home.

The jet departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas. Airport spokesperson Jim Reynolds identified the aircraft as a private plane. Authorities have not yet released the names of the nine individuals who died. The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said the death investigation is still in its early stages and declined to provide further details.

The identity of one of the pilots was released by her stepfather. Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, earned her pilot's license in 2023 while she was a senior at West Boca Raton Community High School. Her license included a rating for that model of Learjet, though it did not authorize her to be the pilot in command.

Her father, Allan Filgueiras, told The Associated Press that he was not prepared to discuss the crash. Palm Beach County Mayor Sara Baxter asked the public to keep the victims in their thoughts and prayers.

Air traffic control recordings indicate the plane was flying east at 35,000 feet when the pilot reported issues. The pilot described light ice accumulation and moderate turbulence that jolted the aircraft by as much as 700 feet. Rain was falling in the region at the time.

The pilot requested permission to climb another 2,000 feet and then declared an emergency. The jet began losing altitude rapidly. The pilot radioed that the aircraft was descending at 8,000 feet per minute and later reported an overspeed condition at 20,000 feet per minute. Moments before impact, the pilot stated, “We’re going to crash into the ground.”

Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel G. Flores said the county does not have a timeline for when evacuated residents can return to their homes. About 77 mobile homes in the area have been emptied, with residents moved to a shelter. Flores said the priority is clearing the scene so residents can return to normal life. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called the crash “cataclysmic” and said it looked like a missile going down.