Florida Family mourns young co-pilot lost in plane crash

Camila Corteleti, Giulia Filgueiras, Thiago Corteleti, and another younger sister were present, awaiting information regarding the return of Nathalia’s remains.

Nicole Tarantino, a close friend since elementary school, expressed her devastation. “She was a beautiful person inside and out,” Tarantino told NBC News. “She always knew she wanted to be a pilot. She was dedicated and excelled at everything she did.”

Nathalia Filgueiras, raised in a Brazilian household in Boca Raton, was inspired by her father, Allan Filgueiras, who is also a pilot. He introduced her to flying at a young age and helped her earn her pilot license in 2023, when she was a 17-year-old senior at West Boca Raton Community High School. The Palm Beach County School District funded her pilot license through the school’s aviation academy. “Flying was her biggest passion,” said her sister, Giulia Filgueiras.

A distress call captured the co-pilot’s final moments. “Mayday, mayday. We’re descending 10,000 feet per minute,” she stated. “We’re gonna crash into the ground, 722 Bravo Delta,” followed by a scream.

Allan Filgueiras explained that his daughter served as a first officer, the second-in-command co-pilot assisting with navigation and operation.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. According to NTSB member Tom Chapman, the Learjet 60 departed Texas at approximately 10:30 a.m. ET, headed for the Bahamas. At 12:47 p.m. ET, the pilots reported encountering “clear ice” at 35,000 feet and experiencing turbulence, requesting and receiving permission to ascend to 37,000 feet. Thirty seconds later, the aircraft began a rapid descent.

Investigators are appealing to the public for any video footage of the crash.

Those who knew Filgueiras are focusing on celebrating her pursuit of her dreams. “She was a light, and she did what she loved,” Tarantino said.