The co-pilot killed in a Florida plane crash has been identified as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha, who obtained her private pilot’s licence before graduating from high school.
Ms Gadelha was among nine people who died when a Learjet 60 crashed in Palm Beach County on Sunday. Her mother and stepfather identified her as one of those on board.
She began flying lessons in 2020 and earned her private pilot’s licence at 17 while studying at West Boca Raton High School. Her training was funded through the school district’s Aviation Academy.
Ms Gadelha later graduated from American Flyers flight school as she pursued her ambition of becoming a commercial airline pilot. In a 2023 interview, she said she had already logged 88 hours in the air.
She also said that she and her boyfriend had obtained several aviation qualifications before turning 21.
The aircraft had been travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when it entered a steep descent. Flight data indicated that it was dropping at more than 20,000ft per minute.
The Learjet struck the ground near a mobile home park and burst into flames, killing everyone aboard. The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash.
