Nathalia Filgueiras father praises her final radio calls in Florida jet crash

The grieving father of the young co-pilot who died alongside eight others when their private jet plunged from the sky has spoken publicly about the final moments of the flight, offering an emotional defense of his daughter's professional standing and calm demeanor under unimaginable pressure. Allan Filgueiras, an experienced pilot who helped teach his daughter to fly, addressed reporters in Coral Gables, Florida, sharing that he has repeatedly listened to the harrowing audio recordings captured before the fatal crash.

The tragedy unfolded on Sunday, November 1, 2026, when the Learjet 60 — flying from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas — encountered severe weather over Florida. According to Wral reporting, the aircraft flew into a thunderstorm where turbulence violently tossed it up and down. In her final radio transmissions to air traffic control, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras can be heard methodically detailing the worsening conditions.

"Declare an emergency 722-Bravo-Delta. We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute!"

Media additions

Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, Co-pilot, via Associated Press

As detailed in PBS coverage, her father expressed profound sorrow and pride during the Friday, November 6, 2026, news conference. For the family — it's like having the heart torn from my chest, he said in Spanish, adding that he had to find a way to go on living after losing his daughter. He noted that listening to the transmission revealed just how resilient she remained even as the aircraft's fate was sealed.

The press conference was organized primarily to push back against online critics questioning whether a 20-year-old possessed sufficient experience to co-pilot a high-performance business jet. According to Durango Herald reporting, the family's attorney, Stuart Grossman, stated that the appearance was intended to preserve her memory and reputation. Grossman emphasized that she was at the top of her class and fully qualified, having logged more than 1,300 flight hours, completed rigorous commercial licensing training, and earned a specific Learjet certification. There are no immediate plans to file a lawsuit.

Aviation experts and instructors have strongly backed those credentials. Chris Kirk, her mentor and instructor, noted that during her check ride in March, an examiner was so impressed that he assumed she had over 5,000 hours of flight time. CBC reporting highlights Kirk's assessment that her professionalism under duress surpassed that of many military special forces personnel. Similarly, retired airline pilot John Cox, CEO of Safety Operating Systems, observed that securing the right seat of a Learjet 60 requires impressing seasoned aviators.

The accident itself remains under active investigation by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). As noted by The Mirror, the aircraft accelerated beyond its design limits during the catastrophic dive, leaving a deep crater on the edge of a road in Palm Beach County and scattering tail fragments and engine components miles away from the main impact point. Investigators confirmed that the cockpit voice recorder remains missing.

The disaster claimed the lives of all nine occupants on board. Alongside 55-year-old captain Jeff Gregory, who is believed to have been at the controls during the final moments, victims included technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, and the family nanny, Ana María Ramírez Cetina. Additional victims identified in regional reporting included Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, co-owners of the Arca Boutique Hotel in Honduras.

As the NTSB continues to sift through physical evidence and examine radar and telemetry data, family members, aviation advocates, and investigators await the recovery of any remaining components that might shed light on why the aircraft entered its fatal overspeed dive. Further updates from federal transport authorities are expected as the probe progresses.