The pilot of a Learjet that crashed in Florida, killing all nine people on board, was a devout Christian who "went home to be with the Lord," his church announced. Capt. Jeff Gregory, 55, was at the controls of the aircraft when it plummeted approximately 27,000 feet in one minute before crashing in a fireball near Greenacres, Florida.
Limerick Chapel in Pennsylvania, where Gregory was a devoted member, informed congregants of his death. His friend, David Peters, told The Sun that Gregory had aspired to be a pilot since childhood and was known for being diligent and dependable.
In the final moments before the crash, Gregory was heard in audio transmissions reciting the Lord's Prayer. The co-pilot, 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, reportedly screamed that they were about to die.
Gregory is survived by his wife, Cheryl, and their three children. The flight was en route to the Bahamas when it crashed Sunday afternoon.
Among the other victims were tech executive Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and nanny Anita Maria Apellido Cetina.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. Authorities noted that the plane was flying through temperatures of -50 degrees Fahrenheit and may have encountered ice and heavy turbulence. Debris from the aircraft was scattered over a half-mile radius, and investigators are working to determine if a cockpit voice recorder survived the impact.