Twenty-year-old pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, who earned her first pilot's license while still in high school, has been identified by her family as one of nine people killed in a Learjet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, 2026.
Published November 2, 2026 | Country Road Entertainment
A Passion for Flying That Began in Childhood
According to reports from the New York Post and local Florida media, Nathalia earned her private pilot's license in 2023 at age 17, before she had obtained her driver's license. She trained through a Palm Beach County school aviation program and pursued professional flying.
At the time of a 2023 local news interview, she reportedly had 88 hours of flight time. Her family says she had accumulated around 1,300 hours by the time of the crash and had worked commercially for approximately nine months.
Family Remembers a Young Woman Living Her Dream
Nathalia's mother, Camila Corteleti, described her pride in her daughter's aviation career while sharing the deep fear she had carried about the risks of flying.
Her family said Nathalia hoped to continue building a future in aviation and would have celebrated her 21st birthday in January.
Her stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, told the New York Post that Nathalia sent her boyfriend a message about turbulence and ice roughly 10 minutes before the crash.
That account is attributed to her family, not an official finding by investigators.
What Investigators Know About the Florida Plane Crash
The Learjet 60 was traveling from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it went down in Palm Beach County on November 1, 2026.
All nine people aboard, including two crew members and seven passengers, died.
Air traffic control recordings indicate the crew reported icing and turbulence before the aircraft entered a rapid descent.
The National Transportation Safety Board, assisted by the Federal Aviation Administration, is investigating.
Officials have not determined the cause of the crash, and reports of weather or icing do not establish causation.
Remembering Nathalia Filgueiras
For Nathalia's loved ones, the loss is not simply a headline. It is the loss of a daughter, partner and young pilot who spent much of her life working toward the sky.
Country Road Entertainment extends its condolences to the families and friends of all nine people who died.
Sources: New York Post | FOX 7 Austin | CBS12 News
