Learjet Crash in Greenacres Kills 9; Pilot Identified as Jeff Gregory

Jeff Gregory, a 55-year-old pilot from the Philadelphia suburbs, died Sunday afternoon when a business jet crashed in Greenacres. The accident killed all nine people on board the aircraft, which was traveling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas. The plane struck the ground approximately seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach after encountering severe weather.

Gregory was one of two crew members in the cockpit of the Learjet 60. His co-pilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, was 20 years old. Federal investigators stated on Monday that parts of the aircraft likely began to detach before the impact. During the final moments of the flight, the co-pilot reported to air traffic control that ice was building up on the plane. She also described severe turbulence that caused the jet to move up and down by more than 700 feet.

In the background of the co-pilot's final radio transmissions, a man's voice recited the Lord's Prayer. Friends of Gregory, a devout Christian, believe the voice belonged to him. As the plane descended, the co-pilot told controllers, "We’re going to die!" The jet then hit the ground with enough force to create a crater and erupt into flames. The impact scattered debris over a large area. Images from the moments before impact show the horizontal stabilizer missing from the tail.

Thomas Noetzel, the director of operations at Upper Jets, the company that operated the flight, organized an online fundraiser to support Gregory's wife and children. Noetzel described Gregory as a close personal friend and stated, "knowing him has made me a better person." Walter Noetzel, Thomas's father, posted on Facebook that Gregory was a faithful man with a genuine passion for flying. He wrote, "His journey on earth may have ended, but I like to think he is now flying among the angels, soaring peacefully in the presence of our Lord."

According to Federal Aviation Administration records, Gregory held airline transport pilot and flight instructor certificates. He lived in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania, about 35 miles northwest of Philadelphia. He had previously worked for a charter company based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. April Honnen, the director of charter sales for East Coast Jets, Inc., where Gregory worked in 2016 and 2017, said the company was deeply saddened by the loss. She added, "Our prayers go out to Jeff’s family, his fellow crew member, the passengers and everyone affected by this heart breaking tragedy."

The victims of the crash included technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, and their two young children. Relatives of the family confirmed the identities. The co-pilot's stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, told the New York Post that she texted her boyfriend about 10 minutes before the crash. The message read, "I’ve got turbulence, I’ve got ice." These texts were sent before the situation became critical.

In the final two minutes of the flight, Filgueiras shifted from calm communication with air traffic controllers to calling out urgent updates as the plane plummeted. The FAA prohibits commercial airline pilots from using cellphones during any part of a flight. Rules for charter flight pilots are less strict; they are not supposed to use cellphones during critical phases such as takeoffs and landings, but are allowed while cruising at altitude unless their company or pilot in command bans it.

About 600 nearby residents remain displaced following the crash. Only one injury was reported on the ground. Tom Chapman, a member of the National Transportation Safety Board, said Monday that weather would be a key focus of the investigation. A preliminary report describing the events of the crash is expected to be released in about a month. Determining the cause of the accident will likely take more than a year.