GREENACRES, FLORIDA — November 2, 2026. A devastating family loss has emerged from Sunday’s private jet disaster in South Florida. Technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, their nanny and two close friends were among the nine people killed when a Learjet 60 crashed near Greenacres, according to a joint statement released by relatives. The identities of the seven passengers have now been publicly disclosed, while separate media reports have identified both pilots.
The aircraft was traveling from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas when it crashed at approximately 12:50 p.m. on November 1. The jet, registered N722BD, went down near Military Trail and 10th Avenue North in Palm Beach County. All nine people aboard died in the impact.
A TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEUR AND HIS FAMILY AMONG THE VICTIMS
Robinson founded Retention.com and RB2B, technology businesses focused on identifying website visitors and helping companies develop customer relationships. He and Helen Sharp were raising their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2. Sharp was an artist, potter and business owner. Their family lived in Aspen, Colorado, although Robinson had established business connections in Austin, Texas.
The family statement also identified Anita Maria Apellido Cetina, who cared for the children, and close friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr. Relatives described Robinson and Sharp as devoted parents and remembered the children as central to their lives. They also paid tribute to their friends and the nanny, whom they described as an important part of the family.
BOTH FLIGHT CREW MEMBERS ALSO IDENTIFIED
The co-pilot was Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20, whose mother previously confirmed her identity. Filgueiras earned her private pilot’s license at 17 while attending high school in Florida and had accumulated more than 1,300 flight hours, according to family interviews. She worked in professional aviation and had authorization to fly the Learjet, although her credentials did not qualify her to serve as pilot in command.
The aircraft’s captain was identified in reporting by The Guardian and other outlets as Jeff Gregory, 55, an experienced pilot from Pennsylvania. The two crew members and seven passengers account for all nine fatalities confirmed by federal authorities.
FINAL RADIO TRANSMISSIONS REVEAL A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING EMERGENCY
Air traffic control recordings document the crew reporting ice accumulation and moderate turbulence while flying at approximately 35,000 feet. The pilots requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet as they encountered precipitation. Less than 30 seconds later, the aircraft reported a rapid descent and declared an emergency.
Subsequent communications described an overspeed condition and a descent exceeding 20,000 feet per minute. The aircraft ultimately struck the ground at high speed, producing a large fireball and scattering debris across the surrounding area. The recordings provide a timeline of the emergency but do not establish which pilot was operating the controls or what caused the loss of control.
NTSB EXAMINES POSSIBLE MID-AIR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration. During a November 2 briefing, investigators said preliminary evidence suggested that parts of the aircraft may have separated before the final impact. Recovering and examining the wreckage is expected to take several days because of the extensive fragmentation.
Weather conditions are a major focus of the investigation. Officials are reviewing thunderstorms, precipitation, icing and turbulence along the flight path, as well as available aircraft records and communications. No probable cause has been established, and investigators have cautioned against drawing conclusions before the examination is complete.
NINE DEAD AND ONE PERSON ON THE GROUND INJURED
The crash killed all seven passengers and both pilots. The NTSB also reported that a person in a nearby vehicle sustained a minor leg injury. Hundreds of residents from the neighboring mobile-home community were evacuated while emergency personnel secured the scene and recovered wreckage.
The accident has left multiple families grieving and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the aircraft’s final descent. The identities of the nine victims have now been reported, but the investigation into the mechanical, environmental and operational factors behind the crash remains ongoing.
As investigators work to reconstruct the flight, the central unanswered question is what happened aboard the Learjet during the final seconds before impact.
