'I wanted to be by her side': Father remembers Nathalia Filgueiras after deadly jet crash

A somber news conference featured Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras’s family and legal representation, with Allan Filgueiras described as Nathalia’s father who helped nurture her love of flying. The family’s attorney, Stuart Z. Grossman, indicated they would await the government’s investigation and review findings with experts before offering any perspective or allegations.

All nine people aboard a Learjet 60 died when the aircraft crashed and caught fire on South Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North. The event advisory stated the plane plunged about 35,000 feet before the crash.

Nathalia Filgueiras, 20, was serving as co-pilot at the time of the crash. The other victims included a pilot, a family friend, a nanny, two parents, a couple with their two children, and another family friend, all identified in releases connected to the incident.

Investigators are working to determine what caused the Learjet 60 crash, with authorities noting the ongoing process of collecting evidence and analyzing the sequence of events leading to the fire and impact. The family plans to share its perspective after the government releases its findings.

Nathalia Filgueiras earned her flight license in 2023 while a student at West Boca Raton Community High School, graduating as a 17-year-old senior before pursuing further aviation experience as a co-pilot. The report cites that she had a long-standing passion for flying and previously flew with her father, who described her as a hero who remained determined through the emergency.