"She Did a Great Job": Florida Crash Co-Pilot Identified as 20-Year-Old Aviator Nathalia Gadelha

• Nathalia Gadelha, a 20-year-old co-pilot, was identified as the person heard in air traffic control audio before the fatal Florida Learjet crash
• Her mother and stepfather confirmed she was co-piloting the Learjet 60 from Austin to the Bahamas when the plane encountered a severe thunderstorm
• Gadelha had earned her pilot's licence while still in high school, before the plane nosedived at over 20,000 feet per minute

The co-pilot heard communicating with air traffic control moments before a private jet crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, has been identified as Nathalia Gadelha, a 20-year-old aviator who earned her pilot's licence during high school.

Meteorologist Dylan Federico shared the identification on Facebook on 2 November 2026, noting that Gadelha's mother and stepfather had confirmed she was aboard the Learjet 60, which was travelling from Austin to the Bahamas when the disaster unfolded.

What happened before the crash

The aircraft ran into severe turbulence after encountering a powerful thunderstorm mid-flight. According to Federico's post, the plane then nosedived at a rate exceeding 20,000 feet per minute before crashing, killing all nine people on board. In the air traffic control audio circulating online, Gadelha can be heard reporting that the aircraft was in an overspeed condition, a critical warning that the plane had exceeded its safe airspeed limits.

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Who was Nathalia Gadelha

Gadelha had shown a passion for aviation from a young age, obtaining her pilot's licence before finishing high school. At just 20, she was serving as co-pilot on the ill-fated flight. Her family's confirmation of her role on the aircraft came as investigators began piecing together the events that led to the tragedy.

The crash and the audio recording prompted significant public debate online, with many commenting on Gadelha's age and her conduct in the cockpit.

View the Facebook post below:

People responded to Federico's post with a range of views:

Deborah Ray said:

"She communicated in an extremely difficult situation. She stated they were in an overspeed condition. I understand that plane is more prone to that due to the wing design, and that would explain the nose-down position and difficulty with recovering control. She did a great job. RIP."

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Debbie Rohrbach asked:

"What part of 20 years old disqualifies her? Men and some women have been flying military planes for many years at 18, 19 and 20 years old."

Becky Vitale questioned:

"So who was the actual pilot?"

Jenni Coronado raised a procedural concern:

"How was the audio released so early? I was under the impression NTSB does not release until after an investigation has been completed."

Joshua Sam-Lupizi added:

"I guess it's 'everyone is an aviation expert day' on Facebook."

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Source: Briefly News