Federal investigators are examining whether icing and turbulence contributed to the crash of a private jet that broke apart over a Palm Beach County neighborhood Sunday, killing all nine people aboard.
The Learjet 60 left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas at about 10:37 a.m. bound for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. It went down in Palm Beach County shortly before 1 p.m. Debris was scattered across ball fields, businesses and homes, and at least one person on the ground was injured in the leg.
The National Transportation Safety Board said weather is a “major focus” of its investigation. The crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence at about 35,000 feet shortly before the aircraft began losing altitude rapidly. According to NTSB member Tom Chapman, the crew radioed air traffic controllers: “We are in an overspeed condition, descending.” The crew had just requested to climb to 37,000 feet when it declared an emergency.
Investigators said there are preliminary indications the aircraft may have started breaking apart before it hit the ground. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
Who was on board
Among those killed was Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, a 20-year-old aspiring commercial pilot from Palm Beach County who earned her private pilot’s license at 17, before she had a driver’s license. She trained through her high school’s aviation academy and later graduated from American Flyers flight school.
The pilot in charge was identified as Jeff Gregory, 55, according to the New York Post. Upper Jet, which operated the aircraft, declined to confirm the captain’s identity when asked by Fox News Digital and referred questions to federal investigators.
Also killed were Austin, Texas, tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson and his wife, Helen Sharp, who were traveling with their two young children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2. Robinson was CEO and co-founder of Retention.com, and also led RB2B and Moltsets. Sharp was an entrepreneur, potter and owner of a public relations company.
In a joint statement, their families described the couple’s “warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome,” calling their relationship “the love affair that will last forever,” and said Emma and Charlie “were the light of their lives.”
Retention.com, RB2B and Moltsets said in a statement: “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.”
Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr were also among the victims. Their families said the pair were building a life together “filled with joy and adventure” and that “from the moment they met, they were all in on each other and the life they were building. They are deeply loved, and we will miss them endlessly.”
Anita Maria Cetina, who cared for Emma and Charlie Robinson and was considered part of the Robinson-Sharp family, also died in the crash. “She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion,” the families said.
Upper Jet Director of Operations Thomas Noetzel offered condolences on behalf of the company. “We would like to provide our condolences to everyone affected by the catastrophic event of yesterday, November 1, 2026,” he said. “Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this tragedy.” Noetzel said Upper Jet is cooperating with local, state and federal authorities, and that the NTSB and other agencies would be the source of further information about the crash.
The Federal Aviation Administration is assisting the NTSB with the investigation.
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