20-year-old Learjet co-pilot killed in Florida crash had earned her pilot’s license in high school

Nathalia Gadelha, a 20-year-old co-pilot aboard the Learjet 60 that crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, has been identified as one of the nine people killed in Sunday’s accident. Her mother and stepfather confirmed her identity to the New York Post.

Gadelha was flying aboard the private jet traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when the aircraft reportedly entered a steep descent, falling at more than 20,000 feet per minute before crashing in a residential area on November 1.

The young pilot grew up in Palm Beach County and attracted local media attention in 2023 after earning her private pilot’s license at just 17, while still a senior at West Boca Raton High School. At the time, she had not yet obtained her driver’s license.

“I definitely do brag because people say, ‘Oh, you can’t drive,’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, but I can fly,'” she told CBS12 in an interview.

Gadelha began taking flying lessons in 2020 and received additional instruction from her father, who had learned to fly as a hobby. She accumulated 88 flight hours and passed the required knowledge test. Her pilot training was funded through the School District of Palm Beach County’s Aviation Academy.

She later graduated from American Flyers, a flight school based in Addison, Texas, with a branch in Pompano Beach, Florida. Her ambition was to become a commercial airline pilot.

In a recent social media post, Gadelha shared a video of herself flying with her boyfriend, Justin, who is also a pilot. She highlighted that both were under 21 and held commercial, multi-engine and instrument qualifications, as well as flight instructor certifications.

The Learjet 60 crash killed all nine people aboard. Authorities are investigating the circumstances of the accident, and no official cause has been established.