Florida crash: Nathalia Gadelha, 20, identified as co-pilot killed in Learjet tragedy

Nathalia Gadelha, a 20-year-old aviator who earned her pilot's licence while still in high school, has been identified as the co-pilot aboard the Learjet 60 that crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday afternoon, NY Post reported.

The Learjet crash killed all nine people on board, informed US transportation officials.

The private jet departed from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, according to a statement issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Videos circulating on social media captured the horrifying moment the aircraft plunged towards the ground near a road before erupting into a massive fireball.

According to her mother, Camila, and stepfather, who confirmed her identity to The New York Post, Gadelha was on board the private jet travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when the aircraft went into a steep nosedive.

Gadelha, who grew up in Palm Beach County, had attracted local media attention in October 2023 after obtaining her private pilot's licence at just 17 years old -- even before securing her driver's licence.

Speaking to CBS12 at the time, she proudly described the unusual milestone, saying, "I definitely do brag because people say, 'Oh, you can't drive,' and I'm like, 'Yeah, but I can fly.'"

Her interest in aviation began in 2020, when she started taking flying lessons. Her father, who had taken up flying as a hobby in 2018, also played an important role in teaching her.

While studying as a senior at West Boca Raton High School, Gadelha had already accumulated 88 hours of flight time after regularly flying alongside her ground-school training. She also successfully cleared the required knowledge test.

Reflecting on what made her journey unusual, she told CBS12, "I like being different than everyone, so to me I think it's cool that like it's not really an opportunity."

She also spoke candidly about the contrast between her aviation skills and her lack of driving experience at the time.

"Some people think that it's weird that I can fly planes, but I can't drive a car, I mean I can but, a lot of people think it's funny. I think it's funny, and I now want my [driver's] license really bad," she said.

Despite her young age, Gadelha had ambitious plans for the future, with aspirations of becoming a commercial airline pilot.

She completed her aviation training at American Flyers, a flight school headquartered in Addison, Texas, which also operates a branch in Pompano Beach, Florida.

In a recent social media post, Gadelha had shared a video of herself flying with her boyfriend, Justin, who is also a pilot. Highlighting their achievements at such a young age, she wrote: "How often do you see 2 pilots under 21 with a commercial, multi-engine, instrument, CFI/CFI-I [Certified Flight Instructor/Certified Flight Instructor - Instrument],"

Describing the incident, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called it a "big-time tragedy" while speaking at a press conference near the crash site in Lake Worth Beach.

" When you see that video, it's a jarring thing. It was like a missile coming down, and a massive explosion, debris going everywhere," DeSantis said.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has launched an investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the crash. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy also described the incident as a "horrific tragedy."