The Eyrie

AUSTIN, TX — A Texas family of four was among nine people killed when a plane crashed in Greenacres, Florida, on Sunday, according to family statements and reporting that identified those aboard. The victims included Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their children Emma and Charlie, and their nanny, along with two friends who were also on the flight.

Relatives said the family was devastated by the loss and asked for privacy as they begin making memorial plans. The crash also killed the pilots, and investigators are still working to confirm every victim’s identity through official channels.

Family statement names the Texas victims and honors their lives

The families of the passengers released a joint statement on Facebook on Monday naming Adam Robinson, Helen Sharp, Emma and Charlie Robinson, Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Apellido Cetina. They said Adam and Helen were devoted parents and described the children as the center of their lives.

The statement also paid tribute to Reed and Fehr as friends who loved adventure, and it said Cetina cared for Emma and Charlie with tenderness and devotion. The families thanked first responders, investigators, and the Palm Beach County community for their support, while also expressing sympathy for the pilots’ families.

What investigators say happened in the final moments

Federal investigators say the aircraft appears to have broken apart in the air before impact. The National Transportation Safety Board said debris was spread across about 1.2 miles in Palm Beach County, pointing to an in-flight breakup rather than a simple ground collision.

According to the timeline released by investigators, the flight left Austin for the Bahamas at 10:37 a.m. At 12:47 p.m., the crew reported icing and turbulence and asked to climb to 55,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds later, the plane went into a rapid descent and a Mayday call was made.

Icing remains a focus as the wreckage is examined

NTSB investigator Timothy Monville said preliminary evidence suggests the jet broke up before hitting the ground, and icing is being studied as a possible factor. Officials have not yet said exactly what caused the failure, but the weather and flight conditions are central to the inquiry.

The aircraft, a Learjet 60, reportedly flew into a storm cell just before the crash. Aviation attorney Robert Clifford said the plane’s speed and altitude make the decision to enter that weather pattern a key part of what investigators will likely review.

Emergency response cleared mobile homes and left one man injured on the ground

The crash forced the evacuation of hundreds of residents from 77 nearby mobile homes, and one man on the ground was hurt, authorities said. Palm Beach County emergency officials declared a county emergency after the fiery impact near Military Trail.

Investigators described the scene as a large crater with scattered wreckage, and air traffic control audio captured the final exchange before the aircraft slammed into the ground. All nine people aboard were killed in the crash, which ended in a massive fireball.

Pilots and passengers included a young aviator and a Rice graduate

TMZ identified the captain as 55-year-old Jeff Gregory and the co-pilot as 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha, whose family said she earned her pilot’s license while still in high school. Her flight training began in 2020 under her father’s guidance, and she later pursued a career as a commercial airline pilot.

Adam Robinson was also remembered by Rice University, which said he graduated in 2003 with a degree in economics, Spanish and managerial studies. The school said he was a member of Jones College and earned two varsity letters on the men’s basketball team during the 2000 and 2001 seasons.

NTSB and FAA continue their investigation and seek witnesses

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the crash. At a Monday briefing, NTSB officials said maintenance records show a cockpit voice recorder had once been installed on the aircraft, but they do not yet know whether it was still aboard.

If recovered, investigators say that recorder could provide crucial information about the last minutes of the flight. The NTSB has also asked anyone with photos or video from the area to send them to [email protected] and urged the public not to disturb debris at the site.