By Salma El-Sakka
Nine people died when a Learjet 60 bound for the Bahamas crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon. The victims included Texas tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, a nanny, two family friends, and two pilots.
Victims identified
Robinson, 44, was the founder and chief executive of software companies Retention.com and RB2B. His wife, Helen Sharp, was a ceramics artist. Their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were also killed, along with nanny Anita Maria Cetina and friends Charmi Fehr and Rachael Reed. The pilots were Jeff Gregory, 55, of Pennsylvania, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, a Florida resident who earned her pilot's license in high school.
Flight details and mayday call
The aircraft departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and was cruising at 35,000 feet when one pilot reported ice accumulation and severe turbulence. Audio recordings captured a mayday call as the jet descended at 20,000 feet per minute. One pilot said, "We are going to crash into the ground," and later, "We're out of time." The plane nosedived, leaving a smoking crater beside a road.
Investigation underway
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis described the impact as "cataclysmic" and said no ground injuries were reported. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed the Federal Aviation Administration is assisting an investigation led by the National Transportation Safety Board. Authorities have not yet determined the cause.
