Family of co-pilot killed in Palm Beach Learjet crash seeks answers

CBS News Miami reported that a Learjet crashed in Greenacres, Florida, killing the 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras and eight others. The crash caused a fireball, and investigators noted parts of the aircraft appeared to have broken off before impact.

Filgueiras was co-piloting the flight from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when the plane entered a thunderstorm, experienced ice buildup, and turbulence that caused it to descend rapidly. In her final radio transmission, she calmly reported the emergency and the aircraft’s rapid descent of 20,000 feet per minute, according to CBS News Miami.

Her father, Allan Filgueiras, also a pilot, expressed pride in his daughter's handling of the crisis and has listened to her final transmissions multiple times while seeking answers about the crash. He described the loss as "like having the heart torn from my chest."

The family held a news conference to defend Nathalia Filgueiras's experience and reputation, noting she had over 1,300 flight hours and extensive training for her commercial pilot's license. They want to counter online criticism questioning her qualifications.

CBS News Miami also reported that a 911 caller described the crash as "like a bomb explosion," and the National Transportation Safety Board is examining the jet's engine as part of the investigation.

The family continues to await official findings as the investigation proceeds, focusing on understanding the cause of the crash and honoring the co-pilot's memory.