Florida Learjet Crash: Co-Pilot’s Final Text and Captain’s Prayer

A co-pilot’s final message to her boyfriend and a captain’s desperate prayer have emerged as haunting details from a Learjet crash in Florida that killed all nine people aboard. Cockpit audio captured the pilots reporting worsening flight conditions before the aircraft entered a rapid descent and crashed in Palm Beach County.

The plane’s captain, Jeff Gregory, 55, was heard reciting the Lord’s Prayer during a frantic distress call, while his 20-year-old co-pilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, screamed that the aircraft was about to hit the ground.

The private jet plunged vertically onto a road on Sunday, just metres from hundreds of homes. Footage of the impact showed a massive fireball as the aircraft struck the ground, leaving a large crater.

Co-Pilot Sent Final Message About Turbulence and Ice

Filgueiras had been exchanging messages with loved ones and communicating with air traffic controllers shortly before the crash. Her stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, told the New York Post that she texted her boyfriend, who is also a pilot, around 12:40 pm. The accident occurred approximately 10 minutes later.

“She just said, ‘I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice,’” Corteleti said.

Filgueiras had accumulated approximately 1,300 flying hours during nine months as a commercial pilot. She frequently flew alongside her boyfriend.

Radio transmissions recorded during the flight showed the crew reporting icing, turbulence and precipitation while travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. Filgueiras initially informed Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) controllers that the crew was managing the icing conditions.

As the weather worsened, she requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Air traffic controllers approved the request.

Captain Recites Lord’s Prayer During Mayday Call

Less than 30 seconds after the request to climb, the aircraft entered a rapidly accelerating descent. At approximately 12:48 pm, the cockpit issued a Mayday call reporting an extreme descent rate.

“We are in an overspeed condition, descending 20,000ft per minute.”

The distress transmission indicated that the aircraft was descending at an extraordinary rate. Audio recorded by LiveATC.net captured the pilots’ final communications as the situation deteriorated.

Captain Jeff Gregory could be heard reciting the Lord’s Prayer, beginning with the words, “Who are in heaven, hallowed to be the name.” At the same time, Filgueiras screamed:

“We’re going to crash into the ground.”

In the final transmission before radio contact was lost, the co-pilot was heard saying:

“Holy f**k, we’re out of time.”

The recording captured the pilots’ final moments before the Learjet crashed. The audio contains distressing cockpit communications and should be approached with discretion.

Nine People Killed in Palm Beach County Crash

All nine people aboard the Learjet 60 died in the crash. Among the passengers were technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 44, his wife Helen Sharp, 40, and their two young children, four-year-old Emma and two-year-old Charlie.

The family was accompanied by their nanny, Anita Maria Cetina, and family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr. Both pilots, Gregory and Filgueiras, also died in the accident.

The aircraft crashed on a road in Palm Beach County, close to a residential area. The impact footage showed the jet engulfed in flames, with the wreckage leaving a large crater at the crash site.

FAA and NTSB Launch Investigations

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board have launched investigations into the accident, with the NTSB taking the lead.

The pilots’ radio communications documented reports of icing, turbulence and precipitation before the aircraft entered its rapid descent. Investigators will examine the circumstances surrounding the flight and the sequence of events that led to the crash.

The final text message, distress call and cockpit recording have drawn attention to the pilots’ desperate efforts during the aircraft’s final minutes. The investigation is expected to establish further details about the circumstances of the fatal Learjet crash.