Texas family of 4 among 9 killed in horrific Florida plane crash
NTSB briefs media on deadly Lake Worth Beach Learjet 60 crash investigation
NTSB Member Tom Chapman holds a media briefing Monday in West Palm Beach regarding the deadly Lake Worth Beach Learjet 60 crash investigation.
AUSTIN - A family of four from Texas were among the nine people who were killed when a plane crashed in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday.
TMZ reported that tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen, their two children and their nanny were on the plane. They were reportedly traveling with two friends. The captain and co-pilot were also killed.
Relatives of the members of the Texas group released this joint statement on Facebook on Monday:
"A joint statement from the families of Adam Robinson, Helen Sharp, Emma and Charlie Robinson, Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Apellido Cetina:
"With broken hearts, our families share that Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp, their children Emma and Charlie, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Apellido Cetina were among those lost aboard the flight that went down near Greenacres, Florida, on November 1.
"Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever. Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.
"Charmi and Rachel were full of joy and adventure. They loved their people fiercely, fully and without hesitation. 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 cared for Emma and Charlie with tenderness and devotion, and she was truly part of the family. She showed us a legacy of unconditional love and devotion.
"We are deeply grateful to the first responders, investigators, and the Palm Beach County community for their care, and to everyone who has reached out with love. Our hearts are also with the families of the pilots, who are grieving alongside us.
"We ask for privacy as we grieve. Details about memorial services will be shared once arrangements are made."
Adam Robinson was a graduate of Rice University in Houston. The school released the following statement Monday:
"Adam Robinson graduated from Rice University in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in economics, Spanish and managerial studies. He was a member of Jones College, one of Rice’s residential colleges, and earned two varsity letters as a member of the men’s basketball team during the 2000 and 2001 seasons."
Who was on the plane that crashed in Florida?
The captain was identified by TMZ as 55-year-old Jeff Gregory.
His co-pilot was 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha who earned her pilot’s license while still in high school. She was identified by her family, according to reports.
Gadelha began flight lessons in 2020 under the guidance of her father and earned her private pilot’s license at age 17 while attending West Boca Raton High School. Her training was funded through the school district’s Aviation Academy, and she later graduated from the American Flyers flight school as she pursued a career as a commercial airline pilot.
In a 2023 interview, Gadelha revealed she had already logged 88 hours in the air and had gone on to earn multiple aviation qualifications alongside her boyfriend before turning 21.
Florida jet crash
Timeline:
Federal investigators are probing an in-flight breakup of a plane carrying nine people that crashed Sunday afternoon, scattering debris across a 1.2-mile area of Palm Beach County.
The flight departed Austin, Texas, for the Bahamas at 10:37 a.m. At 12:47 p.m., the crew reported icing and turbulence before requesting a climb to 55,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds later, the aircraft entered a rapid descent and issued a Mayday call.
National Transportation Safety Board investigator Timothy Monville said preliminary evidence indicates the plane broke up before impact, with icing under investigation as a factor.
The crash forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents from 77 nearby mobile homes and injured a man on the ground. Mayor Sara Baxter declared a county emergency.
The NTSB urges witnesses with photos or video to email witness@ntsb.gov and cautions the public not to disturb debris.
Chilling air traffic control audio captured the final moments before the plane slammed into the ground near Military Trail, erupting into a massive fireball upon impact. All nine people aboard were killed.
Featured
Final audio from deadly Florida Learjet disaster: 'We're gonna crash'
Nine people are dead after a private jet crashed in a residential Florida area on Sunday afternoon, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The audio between the pilot and air traffic control details the flight’s final moments.
What's next:
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash.
Official identities for the remaining victims have not yet been released by authorities.
The Source: Information in this article is from the FAA, TMZ, the NTSB and previous reporting.