One of the pilots aboard the Learjet 60 that crashed in Florida, killing all nine people on board, has been identified by her family as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha. The aircraft was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it crashed into a residential area near Greenacres on November 1, 2026. Her family identified her as the co-pilot in an interview with The New York Post.

Gadelha had an extraordinary passion for aviation from a young age. She began taking flying lessons in 2020 with encouragement from her father and made headlines in 2023 after earning her private pilot’s licence at just 17 years old—before she was legally old enough to drive. She once joked about the achievement, saying: “People say, ‘Oh, you can’t drive,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I can fly.’”

The tragedy has become even more heartbreaking following the release of cockpit audio capturing the crew’s final moments. A female voice can be heard reporting a terrifying descent and the aircraft banking at a steep angle. Another voice reportedly recites part of the Lord’s Prayer, including the words, “Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” The speaker’s identity has not been independently confirmed. Moments later, the aircraft struck the ground and erupted into flames.

All nine people aboard were killed, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. The identities of the other victims have not yet been released. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said there were no immediate reports of casualties on the ground, describing the crash as “cataclysmic.” As investigators work to establish what happened, Gadelha’s story has drawn attention to a young life and aviation career cut tragically short. 🕊️