The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Staff Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

A TEXAS family travelling to North Eleuthera in The Bahamas was among nine people killed when a private Learjet crashed and erupted into flames near West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.

Technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45, and his wife, Helen Sharp, 40, were travelling with their two young children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2. Also aboard were the family's nanny, Anita Maria Apellido Cetina, and two friends, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.The Learjet 60, registered as N722BD, was being flown by Captain Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20.The aircraft departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas at approximately 10.37am and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in The Bahamas.

As it approached South Florida, the crew reported deteriorating flying conditions to air traffic controllers while flying at approximately 35,000 feet. The situation quickly escalated, culminating in a desperate mayday call.

Air traffic control recordings reportedly captured Filgueiras screaming as the aircraft rapidly lost altitude. The crew initially reported a descent of approximately 10,000 feet per minute before describing an overspeed condition and a descent rate of approximately 20,000 feet per minute.

Camila Corteleti, Filgueiras' mother, told the New York Post and The New York Times that her daughter was serving as co-pilot aboard the Learjet travelling from Austin to The Bahamas when it crashed near West Palm Beach.

Filgueiras reportedly earned her private pilot's licence in 2023, when she was a 17-year-old senior at West Boca Raton Community High School in Florida. She had accumulated more than 1,300 flight hours and was pursuing an aviation career.

Flight-tracking information reviewed by Flightradar24 showed the Learjet briefly climbing before entering a steep right-hand descent at approximately 12.48pm.

During the aircraft's final moments, the captain could reportedly be heard reciting the Lord's Prayer.

At approximately 12.50pm, the aircraft crashed near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in the Greenacres area of Palm Beach County. Dashcam footage captured the jet plunging towards the ground before erupting into a massive fireball.

Relatives of the victims released a joint statement on Facebook on Monday confirming the deaths and paying tribute to those aboard the aircraft.

The statement read:

"A joint statement from the families of Adam Robinson, Helen Sharp, Emma and Charlie Robinson, Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Apellido Cetina:

"With broken hearts, our families share that Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, their children Emma and Charlie, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Apellido Cetina were among those lost aboard the flight that went down near Greenacres, Florida, on November 1.

"Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever. Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.

"Charmi and Rachel were full of joy and adventure. They loved their people fiercely, fully and without hesitation. From the moment they met, they were all in on each other and the life they were building. They are deeply loved, and we will miss them endlessly.

"Anita Maria cared for Emma and Charlie with tenderness and devotion, and she was truly part of the family. She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion.

"We are deeply grateful to the first responders, investigators, and the Palm Beach County community for their care, and to everyone who has reached out with love. Our hearts are also with the families of the pilots, who are grieving alongside us.

"We ask for privacy as we grieve. Details about memorial services will be shared once arrangements are made."

Robinson reportedly founded technology companies, including Retention.com and RB2B. His wife operated a communications firm, Influential PR, and was also a ceramic artist who owned Helen Sharp Ceramics, a pottery studio based in Aspen, Colorado.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the crash, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Investigators have identified weather conditions as a major focus of their investigation, particularly the icing and turbulence reported by the flight crew shortly before the aircraft went down.

There were also 9preliminary indications that part of the aircraft may have broken off before impact.

The investigation includes an examination of the wreckage, weather conditions, maintenance records and communications between the crew and air traffic controllers.

The tragedy has also drawn attention in The Bahamas because of the aircraft's intended destination of North Eleuthera.

In a press statement, the Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Aviation (MEUA) confirmed that it had received reports of the crash and that the Civil Aviation Authority Bahamas (CAA-B) had been in contact with its United States counterparts.

The Ministry emphasised that the NTSB is leading the investigation, with assistance from the FAA, and that Bahamian aviation officials remain reliant on updates and information provided by their US counterparts.

Minister of Energy, Utilities and Aviation Jobeth Coleby-Davis offered condolences to all those affected by the fatal crash.

The cause of the crash has not yet been determined.