Copilot in deadly Florida jet crash identified in reports as 20-year-old

A 20-year-old pilot named Nathalia Filgueiras perished when a small jet crashed and burned in Florida on Sunday, according to US media reports. Filgueiras, who obtained her pilot's license at age 17, was one of two crew members on board the Learjet 60 traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will investigate the possibility that ice and turbulence contributed to the crash, as well as whether human error played a role.

One person on the ground suffered a leg injury when the aircraft crashed onto a residential street near Cresthaven, nine miles from President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.

The plane transmitted to air traffic control before takeoff that it was encountering ice and moderate turbulence, requesting to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds later, the plane began descending, and the crew issued a mayday call. The transmission became unintelligible, and all nine people on board were lost. Filgueiras' mother confirmed her daughter's death to US media outlets. The aircraft broke apart upon impact, scattering debris across sports fields, businesses, and homes in the area.

The NTSB has stated that ice and turbulence were factors in the crash and is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Learjet, meteorologists, and air traffic control experts to determine the probable cause. Recovering the wreckage from the roadway crater will be a challenging task, according to NTSB air safety investigator Timothy Monville.

A possible video recording of the crash emerged on social media, depicting a missile-like descent and massive explosion. The crash occurred on Military Trail, a six-lane road lined with businesses and restaurants, during a thunderstorm.