Authorities and family members have identified all nine victims of Sunday’s deadly jet crash in Florida, a disaster that claimed the lives of a Texas tech entrepreneur, his wife, their two young children, three other passengers, and two pilots.
The victims include 44-year-old Texas tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson and his 40-year-old wife, Helen Sharp, who were traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. They were accompanied by their two young children, four-year-old Emma and two-year-old Charlie, along with two family friends, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and their nanny, Anita Maria Apellido Cetina.
In a joint statement, the victims’ families remembered Robinson and Sharp as devoted parents whose warmth and generosity touched countless lives. The families described Emma and Charlie as “the light of their lives.” The statement also paid tribute to Cetina, calling her truly part of the family who cared for the children with tenderness and devotion. Remembering Reed and Fehr, the families said the two friends were full of joy and adventure, loved fiercely, and were deeply cherished.
A separate statement posted to Sharp’s Instagram account reflected on her vibrant life and lasting impact. To know Helen was to love her, the statement noted, adding that her light would continue to shine through her art, her legacy, and the relationships she built.
The two pilots killed in the crash have also been identified as 55-year-old Jeff Gregory and 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras. Gregory, an experienced aviator from Pennsylvania, served as the captain, while Filgueiras acted as co-pilot for Upper Jets, the charter company operating the aircraft. Filgueiras had previously drawn local media attention as a high school senior at West Boca Raton High School after earning her pilot’s license at age 17, before she even obtained her driver’s license.
Flight data and final radio communications from the cockpit reveal harrowing final moments. A woman believed to be Filgueiras can be heard screaming a warning to air traffic control that the jet was going to hit the ground, while a male voice, believed to be Gregory, appeared to recite part of the Lord’s Prayer.
Investigators are still working to determine the precise cause of the disaster. Prior to the crash, the pilots reported encountering icing conditions at 35,000 feet, after which the aircraft entered a rapid descent, plunging at a rate of roughly 22,000 feet per minute.
National Transportation SafetyBoard investigators announced that severe weather conditions are a primary focus of the ongoing inquiry. Officials also stated that preliminary evidence indicates the aircraft may have broken apart in mid-air before impacting the ground.
