A pilot was heard reciting the Lord's Prayer in the moments before his Learjet 60 crashed in Florida, killing all nine people on board, including a tech tycoon, his family, and friends. The aircraft was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas for the birthday celebration of Adam Robinson, 45, when the tragedy occurred Sunday afternoon near West Palm Beach.
Federal investigators are examining the cause of the crash, which saw the plane descend at a rate of 20,000 feet per minute. The flight's co-pilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, could be heard warning air traffic control of the impending disaster, stating, "Descending 20,000ft per minute... we're going to crash into the ground." She also reported that the aircraft had banked 60 degrees and noted significant altitude changes.
Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, 40, and their two young children, Emma, four, and Charlie, two, were among the passengers. Also on board were Robinson's friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, and the children's nanny, Anita Maria Cetina.
Jeffrey Gregory, 55, the pilot from Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, was remembered by friends as a devout Christian and a diligent, dependable individual with a lifelong passion for aviation. He held an Airline Transportation Pilot certificate for multiple jet types, including the Learjet 60, and had previous experience as a flight instructor.
Officials with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) believe severe weather may have been a significant factor in the crash. There is also speculation that the plane might have encountered a phenomenon known as 'coffin corner' while attempting to climb above storm systems. This occurs at high altitudes where the jet's minimum and maximum safe speeds converge, making the aircraft difficult to control if it goes too slow or too fast.
The NTSB also indicated that a portion of the jet appeared to have broken off before impact. The crash occurred in Greenacres, Florida, leaving a massive crater and damaging nearby infrastructure.
Victims' families have released statements remembering the deceased. Adam and Helen Robinson were described as devoted parents, and their children were the "light of their lives." Reed and Fehr were characterized as full of joy and adventure, while Cetina was noted for her tenderness and devotion to the children, embodying a "legacy of unconditional love and devotion."