Upper Jets has confirmed its cooperation with investigators following the Nov. 1 crash of a company-owned Learjet 60 in a Florida neighborhood, which killed all nine people aboard.
The private jet operator addressed the tragedy in a statement to People magazine on Monday through Director of Operations Thomas Noetzel.
“We would like to provide our condolences to everyone affected by the catastrophic event of yesterday, November 1, 2026. Our hearts go out to everyone impacted by this tragedy. We are committed to supporting the families of all those who lost a loved one yesterday, and are praying for them as we grieve together.”
Noetzel said the company was working with local, state, and federal authorities as the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) leads the investigation. His statement concluded:
“Our team is cooperating with local, state, and federal authorities to ensure an objective understanding of what occurred.”
The crash occurred at approximately 12:50 p.m. local time in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, Florida, specifically into a roadway and near a mobile home community on Military Trail, between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North.
The aircraft had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was bound for the Bahamas, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
One of the pilots, 20-year-old Nathalia Filgueiras, was employed by Upper Jets, according to The New York Times. She obtained her pilot’s license at 17 and had accumulated more than 1,300 flight hours before the accident.
Camila Corteleti, Filgueiras’ mother, told the outlet:
“She loved the freedom. It was completely different seeing the world from the top.”
Pilot’s final moments captured in audio
Audio from the flight’s emergency call captured a pilot initially describing the weather and flight conditions before the aircraft entered a rapid descent. The pilot transmitted:
“We’re descending 10,000 feet per minute!”
It was followed by:
“We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute!”
The pilot’s final words to air traffic control included:
“Holy f***, we’re out of time. We’re going to crash into the ground!”
NTSB officials said one person on the ground sustained a minor injury.
The jet crashed nose-first into a residential and commercial area near Military Trail (between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North) in Greenacres, Palm Beach County, exploding into a fireball and creating a deep crater in the roadway.
Both crew members and seven passengers died. One person on the ground suffered a minor leg injury, and around 77 mobile homes (roughly 600 nearby residents) were evacuated.
Among those killed were Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2. The other passengers were identified as Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Apellido Cetina.
The families issued an official statement to People, expressing their grief.
“Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Their warmth, generosity, and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.”
