The 20-year-old pilot who crashed a jet in Florida texted her boyfriend minutes before the fatal smash, according to reports. Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras informed her boyfriend that she was experiencing turbulence shortly before the plane crashed, killing all those onboard. The tragic incident, which happened on the afternoon of Sunday, November 1, saw the plane hit the ground at speed in Palm Beach County.
According to Filgueiras’s stepfather, the 20-year-old texted her boyfriend at 12:40 pm with the incident happening at 12:50 pm. He told the New York Post: “She just said, ‘I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice.'”
It’s reported that distressing audio from the plane crash shares the 20-year-old screaming, while her co-pilot, who has not been identified, appears to be reciting the Lord’s prayer, in the final seconds of their lives.
Filgueiras obtained her private pilot’s license in October 2023, at the age of 17, and had accumulated around 1,300 hours of flying experience in the three years since, her family revealed. She also often flew with her boyfriend, sharing pictures and videos of the pair in the sky.
The plane was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. Investigations of how it crashed are ongoing, with weather conditions at the forefront.
The other eight people onboard have not yet been identified.