Learjet crash in Florida kills 9 including 20-year-old co-pilot
Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras earned her pilot's licence at 17 while in high school, before she was old enough to drive.
A Learjet crashed near West Palm Beach on Sunday after dropping 27,000 feet in one minute, killing nine people. The co-pilot was Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20.
Filgueiras earned her pilot's licence at 17 while attending a Florida high school with an aviation academy. Filgueiras had the rating to fly the jet, though not to command it.
In 2023, she told local media she could fly planes before she was old enough to drive. Before the crash, the pilot reported ice building up on the aircraft.
Outside air was minus 47 degrees, with moderate turbulence. Filgueiras was heard on radio calling "Mayday" as the plane dropped fast.
The US National Transportation Safety Board is looking into ice buildup as a possible cause.
- 9 people
- Deaths
- 20 years old
- Co-pilot age
- 27,000 feet in one minute
- Descent rate
- Minus 47 degrees
- Outside temperature
Why it mattersIt shows the risks of flying in extreme cold and raises questions about ice at high altitudes where pilots have few options.
AustraliaNo direct Australian effect yet, but ice accumulation at altitude is a safety concern for international aviation, including flights from Australia.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 2 h ago
