A 20-year-old aspiring airline pilot and a Texas couple traveling with their two young children were among the nine people killed Sunday when a private jet crashed into a South Florida neighborhood.
The Learjet 60 took off from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at approximately 10:37 a.m. en route to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. It went down in Palm Beach County shortly before 1 p.m., killing all nine people aboard.
Federal investigators said Monday that weather is a “major focus” of the inquiry. The crew reported icing and moderate turbulence at roughly 35,000 feet shortly before the jet began a rapid descent.
The National Transportation Safety Board said preliminary evidence also suggests the aircraft may have started breaking apart before it struck the ground.
A Learjet 60 crashed into a South Florida neighborhood Sunday afternoon (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue)
Investigators have not yet determined what caused the crash.
As authorities work to establish how the deadly crash occurred, more information is emerging about the nine people aboard the jet.
Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20
Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, a Palm Beach County aspiring commercial pilot, earned her private pilot’s license at age 17—before obtaining her driver’s license. She completed aviation training through her high school’s academy and later graduated from American Flyers flight school.
Nathalia Gadelha is pictured standing outside a small aircraft on 10/3/2024. (Threads/ itsnatfilg)
Adam Robinson, 45
Adam Robinson, a technology entrepreneur from Austin, Texas, was traveling with his wife, Helen Sharp, and their two young children.
In a joint statement, the families described Adam and Helen as people known for their “warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome.” They called the couple’s relationship “the love affair that will last forever.”
From left, Helen Sharp, Charlie Robinson, 2, Emma Robinson, 4, and Adam Robinson pose for a family photo. The family of four was among nine people killed when a Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Nov. 1, 2026. (Courtesy of the Robinson, Sharp, Reed, Fehr and Cetina families via Red Banyan)
Robinson was the CEO and co-founder of Retention.com and also headed RB2B and Moltsets.
Retention.com, RB2B and Moltsets released the following statement after Robinson’s death:
“We are heartbroken by the loss of Adam Robinson, our CEO and co-founder, his wife Helen and their two young children, who died in a tragic plane crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, on November 1, 2026.
“Adam was much more than our CEO. He was a friend, a mentor and a bold, outspoken leader who lived life to the fullest. He cared deeply about the people around him and brought energy and conviction to everything he built. His loss is deeply felt across our team and the tech community, as we collectively mourn this significant loss.
“Our hearts are with Adam and Helen’s family and loved ones, and with everyone affected by the crash. We ask that their privacy be respected during this difficult time.
“Our immediate focus at Retention.com, RB2B, and Moltsets is supporting our employees and Adam and Helen’s family. We are grateful for the kindness and support extended to them and our team.”
Helen Sharp, 40
Helen Sharp was an entrepreneur, potter and owner of a public relations company. She was traveling with her husband, Adam Robinson, and their children.
Helen and Adam’s family remembered them as devoted parents whose generosity touched the people around them. Their loss, the family said, “will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.”
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Emma Robinson, 4
Four-year-old Emma Robinson was traveling with her parents, Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, and her younger brother, Charlie.
Emma and Charlie “were the light of their lives,” the families said in a joint statement.
Charlie Robinson, 2
Two-year-old Charlie Robinson was traveling with his parents and older sister, Emma.
The families remembered Charlie and Emma as the center of their parents’ lives.
Rachael Reed
Rachael Reed was traveling with Charmi Fehr, with whom she was building a life filled with “joy and adventure,” their families said.
“From the moment they met, they were all in on each other and the life they were building,” the families said. “They are deeply loved, and we will miss them endlessly.”
Charmi Fehr
Charmi Fehr was traveling with Rachael Reed when the plane went down.
Their families remembered the pair as “full of joy and adventure” and said they “loved their people fiercely, fully and without hesitation.”
Charmi Fehr and Rachael Reed were among the seven passengers killed when a Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Nov. 1, 2026. Their families remembered them as “full of joy and adventure.” (Courtesy of the Robinson, Sharp, Reed, Fehr and Cetina families via Red Banyan)
Anita Maria Cetina
Anita Maria Cetina cared for Emma and Charlie and was considered part of the Robinson-Sharp family.
“She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion,” the families said.
Anita Maria Cetina, who cared for Emma and Charlie Robinson, was among those killed in the Nov. 1 Learjet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida. The family said Cetina cared for the children “with tenderness and devotion” and was “truly part of the family.” (Courtesy of the Robinson, Sharp, Reed, Fehr and Cetina families via Red Banyan)
Additional information about the children has not been released.
A Learjet 60 slammed into a South Florida neighborhood Sunday afternoon, erupting into a massive fireball just nine miles from Mar-a-Lago. (Aki Kuusisto via Storyful)
News Media has reached out to Aurora Aviation and the 45-year-old father’s business for statements and additional information as it works to independently verify the identities of others aboard the plane.
The Learjet’s crew reported encountering light clear ice and moderate turbulence shortly before the crash. After requesting permission to climb from 35,000 feet to 37,000 feet, the crew declared an emergency as the aircraft began rapidly losing altitude.
“We are in an overspeed condition, descending,” the crew told air traffic controllers, NTSB member Tom Chapman said Monday.
At least one person on the ground suffered a leg injury, while debris from the aircraft was scattered across ball fields, businesses and homes.
The FAA is assisting the NTSB with the investigation.