The father of a 20-year-old co-pilot killed in the devastating Florida Learjet crash has spoken publicly about listening to recordings of his daughter's final moments, as aviation experts raise serious questions about the circumstances surrounding the flight.
Nathalia Filgueiras was among nine people who died when a Learjet 60 crashed in South Florida on November 1, 2026.
The private aircraft had departed Austin, Texas, and was travelling towards the Bahamas when it encountered a catastrophic emergency.
In its final moments, the jet reportedly descended at an extraordinary speed before crashing and bursting into flames.
Now, Nathalia's father, Allan Filgueiras, has revealed that he repeatedly listened to recordings of his daughter's final communications while searching for answers about the tragedy.
What did Nathalia Filgueiras' father say after hearing her final words?
Speaking at a news conference on Friday, November 6, Allan described the emotional experience of hearing his daughter's final moments.
Allan, who is himself a pilot, explained that he had listened to the recordings repeatedly in an attempt to understand how the disaster unfolded.
"I did listen to that many times trying to find a clue," he said, according to NBC News.
He explained that despite the horrifying circumstances, he was struck by his daughter's determination to continue carrying out her responsibilities.
During the emergency, Nathalia could reportedly be heard declaring a mayday and communicating with air traffic control as the aircraft lost altitude.
She also described the jet's banking movement as the situation deteriorated.
Her father said her actions during those final moments had left him deeply proud.
He described Nathalia as a hero who continued fighting until the end, despite facing an emergency that would have challenged even highly experienced aviators.
"She made me so proud," Allan said.
However, the loss has been devastating for the family.
Allan compared his grief to having his heart torn from his chest and acknowledged the difficulty of imagining life without his daughter.
What happened during the Learjet's final moments?
According to reports, the Learjet 60 was flying towards the Bahamas when the crew encountered serious difficulties over Florida.
Air traffic control recordings captured the pilots attempting to communicate the emergency as the aircraft began descending rapidly.
Nathalia reportedly declared a mayday and described the aircraft as banking while descending at approximately 20,000 feet per minute.
Such an extreme descent rate indicates a severe emergency, although it does not establish what initially caused the aircraft to lose control.
The jet subsequently crashed in Palm Beach County, killing everyone aboard.
Investigators have since been examining the crash site and surrounding areas for evidence that could explain the aircraft's final movements.
Why did a former Navy fighter pilot claim the jet should never have been flying?
Questions have also been raised about the weather conditions encountered by the aircraft before the crash.
Former US Navy fighter pilot Matthew 'Wiz' Buckley has argued that the Learjet should not have been flying through the hazardous icing and storm conditions reportedly present along its route.
Buckley, who has decades of aviation experience, questioned the decisions surrounding the flight and whether the crew should have avoided the dangerous weather.
Other aviation experts have similarly suggested that diverting around the storm system may have been a safer option.
Icing can pose a serious threat to aircraft because ice accumulating on critical surfaces can disrupt airflow, reduce lift and increase drag.
Under certain circumstances, these effects can make an aircraft more difficult to control.
However, aircraft such as the Learjet 60 can be certified to operate in specified icing conditions when properly equipped and operated within their approved limitations.
It has not been established whether the conditions encountered on this flight exceeded those limitations.
Investigators have also not determined whether icing caused the aircraft's loss of control.
Buckley's criticism therefore remains an expert opinion rather than an official finding about the cause of the crash or responsibility for the tragedy.
Family lawyer defends Nathalia's experience as a pilot
During the November 6 news conference, attorney Stuart Grossman, who is representing Nathalia's family, also addressed questions about her qualifications.
At just 20 years old, Nathalia was relatively young for a professional pilot, but Grossman argued that her age should not be mistaken for a lack of ability.
He explained that the family wanted to protect both her memory and her professional reputation.
"Nathalia was beyond an average pilot; she was extraordinary," Grossman said.
The lawyer also emphasised that the ongoing investigation should provide answers about the circumstances of the disaster.
No official finding has established that Nathalia's experience or actions contributed to the crash.
Investigators believe the aircraft may have broken apart before impact
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation into the crash, with particular attention being paid to the aircraft's wreckage and the conditions it encountered.
Investigators have recovered pieces of the jet from locations away from the main impact site.
This has raised the possibility that sections of the aircraft separated before it struck the ground.
NTSB investigator Tom Chapman explained that investigators had found evidence suggesting some degree of in-flight breakup.
However, determining precisely when components separated will be essential.
If an important structural component failed before the aircraft began descending, it could help explain the initial emergency.
Alternatively, parts of the jet may have separated as a consequence of the extreme forces experienced during an already uncontrolled descent.
Investigators will need to examine the recovered components before reaching conclusions.
Weather conditions are also a major focus of the investigation, according to Chapman.
Who were the nine people killed in the Florida Learjet crash?
The aircraft was carrying technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson and his wife, Helen Sharp, alongside their two young children.
Also aboard were Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and nanny Ana María Ramírez Cetina.
The flight crew consisted of 55-year-old pilot-in-command Jeffrey Gregory and 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Filgueiras.
All nine occupants died in the crash.
The tragedy has prompted an outpouring of grief, with particular attention being paid to Nathalia's age and her efforts to communicate with air traffic control during the emergency.
What happens next in the investigation?
The NTSB is continuing to recover wreckage, examine weather information and reconstruct the aircraft's final moments.
Investigators will also assess the sequence of events leading to the crash, including whether the aircraft suffered structural damage before impact.
For Nathalia's family, the investigation represents an opportunity to understand what happened during the flight and address questions surrounding her final actions.
Her father's emotional account has offered a personal perspective on the tragedy, highlighting the determination he believes his daughter showed during her final moments.
While aviation experts have raised concerns about the flight's exposure to hazardous weather, no official cause has been announced.
Until investigators complete their work, it remains unclear whether the crash resulted from weather, a mechanical or structural failure, another factor, or a combination of circumstances.
Source: UNILAD, November 6, 2026, reporting on the family's news conference, NBC News coverage and statements from the National Transportation Safety Board. Additional context from previously reported comments by former Navy pilot Matthew Buckley.
