“She Was My Soulmate”: Father Remembers 20-Year-Old Pilot Nathalia Filgueiras After Fatal Learjet 𝔠r𝘢sh

A grieving father has shared an emotional tribute to his 20-year-old daughter, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, the co-pilot killed in the Florida Learjet 𝔠r𝘢sh that claimed nine lives. He remembered her as a gifted aviator who had dreamed of flying since childhood and spent her final moments fighting to save the aircraft.

Allan Filgueiras struggled to hold back tears as he spoke publicly about his daughter at a news conference on November 6. The young pilot had been serving as co-pilot aboard a Learjet 60 when it crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, on November 1.

“She’s my soulmate,” he told CNN, describing the special bond they shared through their love of aviation. He said that losing her had left a profound emptiness in his life.

Nathalia’s passion for flying began when she was just 12 years old. Her father, who was also a pilot, introduced her to aviation by taking her on flights. Rather than simply enjoying the experience as a passenger, she became fascinated by the aircraft and the skills required to fly them.

By the age of 17, she had earned her pilot’s license. She later obtained commercial pilot and flight instructor qualifications, building a career around the passion she had developed as a child.

Her father recalled that she once told him there was nothing else she wanted to do with her life except fly. He encouraged her to pursue that ambition, telling her that she could achieve what she wanted if she was determined enough.

By the time of the 𝔠r𝘢sh, Nathalia had accumulated more than 1,300 flight hours, according to reporting by the Associated Press. Her family and legal representatives have pushed back against online criticism questioning whether someone so young was qualified to serve as a co-pilot on the aircraft.

Her father said he had listened repeatedly to recordings of the flight’s final radio communications, searching for clues about what happened. But the recordings also left him struck by his daughter’s composure as the emergency unfolded.

The aircraft had reported icing and turbulence before the situation deteriorated rapidly. In the final minutes, Nathalia communicated with air traffic controllers as the jet entered a steep descent. One of her final transmissions included the words: “We’re out of time.”

Her father said he was proud of the way she continued responding during the crisis. He described her as someone who kept fighting until the very end.

Their relationship extended beyond father and daughter. As Nathalia became more experienced, she sometimes took on the role of instructor when they flew together. She would put him through training exercises and challenge him to improve his flying skills.

Just four days before the 𝔠r𝘢sh, the two had spent an afternoon together at a boat show and shared lunch. Her father later recalled feeling unexpectedly sad when they said goodbye, although he had no reason at the time to believe it would be their final day together.

The Learjet was traveling from Austin, Texas, toward the Bahamas when it crashed near Greenacres in Palm Beach County. All seven passengers and both pilots died. The passengers included technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, their nanny Anita Maria Cetina, and family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the disaster. Investigators have recovered aircraft components from locations several miles apart, but have not determined what caused the jet to break apart or lose control.

Nathalia’s father and his attorneys said they were not making allegations against anyone and wanted investigators to establish the facts. Their immediate message, however, was that the young woman should be remembered for her dedication, training and love of flying rather than assumptions based solely on her age.

Allan said he intends to continue flying, seeing it as a way to remain connected to his daughter and carry on the passion they shared.

For a father who once watched his little girl discover the skies, the loss is almost impossible to describe. But in remembering Nathalia, he wants people to see more than the young co-pilot aboard a doomed aircraft: he wants them to remember the daughter who had found her dream and worked tirelessly to make it her life.

Source: DAILYMAIL