At just 20, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras had already logged more than 1,300 hours in the air, according to her family. On Sunday, 1 November, she was the co-pilot of a Learjet 60 that crashed in Greenacres, Florida, killing all nine people aboard. Radio transmissions from the aircraft captured an escalating emergency as the crew reported icing, turbulence and a rapid descent.
Her final flight has since drawn criticism online, including attacks on the female co-pilot's distress calls. On Monday, 2 November, NASA administrator Jared Isaacman defended her in a personal post on X, saying she was 'doing her job, communicating with ATC right to the end in a terrifying situation'. Photographs from Filgueiras' life show how much she had already accomplished before turning 21.
Who Was Nathalia Filgueiras Before the Crash?
Filgueiras grew up in Florida in a family with Brazilian roots and became interested in aviation through her father, who flew recreationally. By 12, she had decided she wanted to become a pilot. She began ground school in 2020 and pursued that ambition while attending West Boca Raton Community High School.
In September 2023, aged 17, she earned her private pilot's licence before obtaining a driving licence. The School District of Palm Beach County supported her training through its Aviation Academy. In an interview that October, she joked that other teenagers were surprised she could operate an aircraft before a car, telling them, 'Yeah, but I can fly.'
Her progress continued after that early milestone. She trained with American Flyers in Pompano Beach and later worked as a flight instructor before moving into private aviation. Her family said she had accumulated around 1,300 flight hours and had worked as a commercial pilot for approximately nine months.
Photographs she shared online showed her beside aircraft, smiling in cockpits and wearing a headset during flights. Other images featured her boyfriend Justin, also a pilot, including photographs of the couple flying together. Her social media documented a young woman whose studies, relationship and career were closely connected to aviation.
Inside the Learjet's Final Radio Calls
The Learjet, operated by Aurora Aviation, trading as Upper Jet, was travelling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. Before losing contact, the crew reported ice accumulating on the aircraft and moderate turbulence. The pilots requested permission to climb in search of better flying conditions.
Within moments, a female voice on the radio declared a mayday and reported the aircraft descending at 10,000 feet per minute. Further transmissions described an overspeed condition and an increasingly rapid descent. The voice warned controllers that the jet was going to crash, while an air traffic controller continued attempting to assist.
Tragedy in West Palm Beach FL today as a Learjet carrying 9 people nose-dived into a neighborhood after the female pilot’s final radio call:
— Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) November 1, 2026
“MAYDAY, MAYDAY, we’re descending 10,000 feet per minute… Look outside Jack… holy f**k we’re out of time.”
No survivors. pic.twitter.com/d4OxqNwbZT
Filgueiras' stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, said she had messaged her boyfriend shortly before the accident. According to him, her text read: 'I've got turbulence, I've got ice.' The aircraft crashed at approximately 12.51 pm local time, leaving a crater near a residential neighbourhood.
Tributes and Unanswered Questions
Some online comments focused on the co-pilot's age and criticised her communication during the emergency. Isaacman objected to people judging her final radio calls before investigators had established what happened. He stressed that a second-in-command's responsibilities included communicating with air traffic control.
Writing this in my personal capacity, but I have been flying these types of aircraft for more than 20 years, with over 8,000 hours, and have reasonable familiarity with how the charter world operates. I feel compelled to post after seeing commentary about the Lear 60 crash, from…
— Jared Isaacman (@rookisaacman) November 2, 2026
The US National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the disaster and has found evidence suggesting the aircraft may have begun breaking apart before impact. Investigators are examining weather conditions, crew actions and possible mechanical problems, but have not determined the cause. They have also not established which pilot was physically controlling the aircraft during its final descent.
For her mother, Camila Corteleti, the story was also about a daughter who had pursued her childhood ambition. 'I was so proud of her,' she said while recalling Nathalia's passion for aviation. The photographs capture the years before the crash, from flight training and professional achievements to travelling and spending time with loved ones.
