Florida Learjet crash: Co-pilot’s final ‘I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice’ text before nine died

“I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice.” Those were the chilling words 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras reportedly sent her boyfriend shortly before the private jet she was flying plunged towards the ground in Florida.

The message, sent around 12.40 pm on November 1, came approximately 10 minutes before the Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County, killing everyone aboard. Her stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, shared the details of the final exchange with the New York Post, as the family struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.

The aircraft was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it encountered trouble at high altitude. Recordings of its final communications with air traffic control, combined with the family's account, have begun to reveal the terrifying sequence of events. But what exactly happened, who was aboard and what are investigators looking for?

Who was Nathalia Filgueiras, the co-pilot who sent the final text?

Filgueiras was a 20-year-old pilot from Florida who had earned her pilot's licence at 17. She had reportedly accumulated approximately 1,300 flight hours over nine months as a commercial pilot.

Her family identified her as the co-pilot aboard the Learjet 60. She was qualified to fly the aircraft model, although her licence did not qualify her to serve as the flight's commander.

Her boyfriend was also a pilot, and the two frequently flew together. Her stepfather told the New York Post that she messaged him about the turbulence and ice at approximately 12.40 pm, shortly before the crash.

What happened during the Learjet's final minutes?

The Learjet, operated by Upper Jet, departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at approximately 10.37 am local time, carrying two crew members and seven passengers. It was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

The aircraft was reportedly cruising at around 35,000 feet when the crew reported light clear icing and moderate turbulence. The pilots initially described the icing as manageable.

As conditions worsened, they requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Air traffic controllers approved the request. Within seconds, however, the situation deteriorated dramatically.

The crew declared an emergency as the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly. In the final radio communications, the pilot reported an overspeed condition and a descent of 20,000 feet per minute. The crew's last desperate transmissions included the words: “We're going to crash into the ground.”

What happened to the nine people aboard?

The aircraft crashed in Greenacres, in Florida's Palm Beach County, on November 1. It struck the ground near a residential area, erupting into a fireball and leaving a large crater.

All nine people aboard, two pilots and seven passengers, died. The passengers included Texas technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and nanny Anita Maria Cetina, according to family statements reported by US media.

The crash also affected people living nearby. Authorities evacuated around 600 residents from a mobile-home community close to the site. The Associated Press reported that one person on the ground suffered injuries.

Did turbulence and ice cause the Florida plane crash?

Weather is a major focus of the investigation, but the NTSB has not established a cause.

Investigators are examining the conditions at 35,000 feet, the aircraft's response to icing and turbulence, its flight systems and the actions of the crew. The NTSB said there was evidence that the aircraft may have started breaking apart before hitting the ground, although the reason for the breakup remains unknown.

Former aviation investigators and experts have pointed to possible issues involving ice accumulation, de-icing systems and aircraft control. These remain possibilities, not confirmed explanations.

What are investigators looking for now?

The NTSB and Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. Investigators are examining the wreckage, aircraft systems, maintenance records, weather data and air traffic control communications to reconstruct the final flight.

The aircraft was originally equipped with a cockpit voice recorder, but investigators have yet to confirm whether it remained aboard and can be recovered. Heavy rain and water filling the impact crater have also complicated the recovery operation.

The investigation remains ongoing. Until the NTSB completes its examination, the final text and cockpit recordings offer a glimpse into the crew's ordeal — but not a definitive explanation of why the Learjet went down.

(With inputs from agencies)