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Doomed Learjet pilot identified as woman aged just 20, as male co-pilot heard praying ‘Our Father’ during final seconds before crash that killed nine and experts say ‘coffin corner’ may be to blame
A Learjet 90 crashed near West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday, killing all nine people on board. The co-pilot was identified by family members as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha, and released air traffic control audio captured the unidentified male pilot praying during the aircraft’s final moments.
The jet was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas amid stormy weather. Gadelha reported a steep bank, then a rapid descent and an overspeed emergency; experts have suggested the plane may have encountered “coffin corner”, where safe flying speeds become very close together at high altitude. The cause remains under investigation by federal aviation authorities.
In short
- A Learjet crash in Florida killed all nine people aboard.
- The co-pilot was identified as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha.
- Investigators are examining weather and a possible “coffin corner” event.
Explained simply
The Learjet 90 is a business aircraft designed to fly at high altitude and speed. It was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it crashed near West Palm Beach, Florida, killing all nine people on board.
The people involved include co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha, whom family members identified as 20, and the male pilot, whose identity has not been released. Air traffic control recordings and reports of stormy weather are among the information being examined as investigators work to establish what happened.
“Coffin corner” is a term for conditions at high altitude where the speeds at which an aircraft can safely fly become unusually close together. Experts have raised it as one possible factor, but federal aviation authorities have not determined the cause of the crash.