Image source, @itsnatfilg/Threads
Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras was identified as the co-pilot of the private plane that crashed this Sunday in Palm Beach County, Florida, in an accident in which all nine people on board died, as confirmed by CBS News, a media partner of the BBC.
From a Brazilian family, Gadelha had obtained his pilot's license at the age of 17 and had accumulated more than 1,300 flight hours when the private jet crashed in the middle of a residential area in the city of Greenacres, according to American press reports.
"Mayday, mayday," says Gadelha in a desperate recording of communications with air traffic control. "We're going to crash into the ground, 722 Bravo Delta."
Minutes earlier they had reported that they were dealing with icing and that moderate turbulence was being recorded. "Now we are entering a precipitation zone," he added and requested permission to ascend.
Then the plane began to fall at full speed. In the recording, the young woman is heard saying that the plane was descending at one point at "10,000 feet per minute" (about 3,000 meters per minute).
The co-pilot then declared an emergency and can be heard yelling, "We are in an overspeed situation and descending at 20,000 feet per minute."
After some shouts, the controller asks: "November 2 Bravo Delta, can you hear me?" But there was no response.
The aircraft had taken off from Austin, Texas, and was bound for the Bahamas, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) reported, and crashed in a local neighborhood at 12:50 local time (17:50 GMT).
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The accident occurred about 14 km from Mar-a-Lago, the residence of President Donald Trump.
Images from the crash site show a crater-sized hole in a street in a Greenacres neighborhood, with fire and pieces of concrete and debris from the Learjet 60 aircraft scattered everywhere.
image source, Image caption
A video posted on social media showed what appeared to be footage from a car camera that captured the moment of the accident.
In the images - whose authenticity has not been verified by the BBC - several vehicles are seen driving down a street when suddenly the aircraft falls almost vertically to the ground and explodes upon violently colliding with the ground, creating a large fireball.
"He loved freedom"
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Filgueiras was 17 years old in October 2023 when he received his private pilot license, a credential that qualifies him to fly aircraft for non-commercial use. He did it while he was in his last year of high school, when he had not yet obtained his driver's license.
"He loved freedom," his mother, Camila Corteleti, told The New York Times on Monday. "Seeing the world from above was something completely different."
The BBC attempted to contact several relatives to confirm Filgueiras' identity; one of them responded briefly: "I'm not ready to talk."
In a 2023 interview with a local CBS News affiliate, Filgueiras spoke proudly of earning his pilot's license while still a senior in high school.
"I like to be different from others," he commented. "Some people find it strange that I can fly airplanes but I don't know how to drive a car - well, actually I do, but a lot of people find it funny."
"As if a missile fell"
"When you see that video, it's shocking," Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at a news conference after the crash. "It's like a missile hit and there was a huge explosion, with debris flying everywhere."
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the crash as a "horrible tragedy" and said he would send an FAA team to the scene to support the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation.
"I ask that you join me in praying for the families and loved ones of those we lost," Duffy added.
The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reported that the accident occurred on Military Trail, a six-lane road where businesses and restaurants are located.
image source, Reuters
"It shook the whole house"
Anthony Blackmon, a resident of the area was one of the witnesses. He told local press that he was about 150 meters from where the plane fell and described the experience as terrifying.
"There was debris everywhere. Debris fell on my house. Everything was on fire. The road was on fire," he told NBC 6 South Florida.
"I've always seen it on the news, but I never thought it would happen so close to someone like it did today," he added.
Another neighbor, Roger Forcelle, said he felt the plane pass over his house shortly before the accident.
"It shook the whole house. It went right over us and crashed probably less than half a kilometer from where I live," Forcelle said. "Everyone left their houses because they felt the tremor."
The impact of the accident caused considerable damage to local infrastructure, including water pipes, officials said, and it is expected to take at least 30 days before roads reopen.
At the time of the accident, thunderstorms were occurring in the area.
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