# NASA chief defends co-pilot as Florida Learjet crash speculation spreads

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/outraged-nasa-boss-slams-learjet-crash-conspiracy-theories-blaming-dei-missile-and-20-year-old-co-pilot-for-fireball-that-killed-nine/
- Published: 2026-11-03T13:20:46+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-03T13:33:36+00:00
- Original publisher: Daily Mail (publisher lean: Right)
- Original article: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16260113/NASA-boss-Learjet-crash-conspiracy-theories.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
- Topics: Space, Technology, World

## Key points

- NASA chief condemns unsupported crash theories.
- He defends the 20-year-old co-pilot’s actions and qualifications.
- Investigators are urged to establish the cause before conclusions are drawn.

## Summary

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman criticised online speculation about a Learjet crash in Florida that killed all nine people aboard. He defended 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, whose final radio calls were questioned online, saying she was doing her job in a terrifying emergency and held the required qualifications.

The jet was travelling from Texas to the Bahamas when it crashed near West Palm Beach on Sunday. Filgueiras told air traffic control it was descending at more than 20,000 feet per minute; reports also said she had texted about turbulence and ice. Isaacman said investigators should establish what happened, including examining the weather, maintenance and possible aircraft failures, and urged the public to respect the victims’ families.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.