Key Highlights:
- Former NFL running back Joe Mixon revealed he flew on the crashed private jet just last month with the same two flight crew members who lost their lives.
- Nine people perished in the South Florida aviation tragedy, including co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, Captain Jeff Gregory, and multiple families bound for the Bahamas.
- National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators confirmed that severe icing and turbulence preceded a sudden, rapid descent and Mayday distress call.
Joe Mixon Expresses Heartbreak Following South Florida Plane Crash
Former NFL running back Joe Mixon has revealed a chilling personal connection to the private jet disaster that claimed nine lives in South Florida. Taking to social media on Monday, the 30-year-old free agent shared that he had recently flown on the exact aircraft with the same cockpit crew involved in the fatal incident.
Mixon expressed his profound sorrow over the accident, which claimed the lives of everyone on board the Bahamas-bound flight. I flew on that exact aircraft last month with those same two pilots,
Mixon stated following the confirmation of 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras as one of the victims. They were incredible professionals and genuinely wonderful people. Hearing the young woman’s story and learning about the bright future she had ahead of her makes it even more heartbreaking that her life was cut so short.
The veteran NFL athlete extended his sympathies to the victims’ relatives, reflecting on the suddenness of the loss: A tragic reminder of how fragile life is. Love on your loved ones while you can, because you never know what tomorrow may bring,
he added.
Victims Identified: Flight Crew and Families Lost in the Wreckage
The crash resulted in nine fatalities, taking the lives of crew members, prominent professionals, and young children. Alongside Filgueiras, the flight was helmed by 55-year-old Captain Jeff Gregory. Following the incident, an East Coast Jets spokesperson issued a tribute: We are deeply saddened to learn that Captain Jeff Gregory was among those who lost their lives in yesterday’s tragic aviation accident in Palm Beach,
the operator confirmed.
Filgueiras, a promising young aviator, had earned her pilot’s credentials before finishing secondary education. In a 2023 conversation with a local CBS News affiliate, she had remarked: I like being different than everyone. Some people think that it’s weird that I can fly planes, but I can’t drive a car, I mean I can but, a lot of people think it’s funny.
Reflecting on her daughter’s passion, Camila Corteleti told the New York Times: She loved the freedom. It was completely different seeing the world from the top.
The passenger manifest included tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, and their two young children, Emma, four, and Charlie, two. In a joint family statement, relatives mourned the devastating loss:
Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever. Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return.Advertisement
The tragedy also took the lives of Rachel Reed, Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina, who were traveling with their children. A joint statement released by their loved ones honored Reed and Fehr as being dedicated and adventurous: They loved their people fiercely, fully and without hesitation. From the moment they met, they were all in on each other and the life they were building,
the statement read.
NTSB Outlines Flight’s Final Minutes Amid Severe Weather
Federal investigators have commenced an exhaustive review of the flight’s telemetry, cockpit recordings, and atmospheric conditions to identify the sequence of events that brought the twin-engine jet down. Officials from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) confirmed that adverse high-altitude weather played a critical role prior to the crash.
During a press briefing, NTSB Member Tom Chapman confirmed that atmospheric conditions were central to the inquiry, detailing the communications between the pilots and air traffic controllers:
The crew transmitted that they were at 35,000 feet with moderate turbulence with altitude deviations of about 700 feet. The crew reported the outside temperature was -47 Celsius, which is -53 Fahrenheit, and they were managing the ice but were in moderate turbulence. Very soon after the crew transmitted ‘we are picking up precipitation requesting to climb to 37,000 feet if able’, which was approved by FAA air traffic control. Less than 30 seconds later a transmission from the aeroplane announced the descent followed by a Mayday call about 12:48 Eastern, the aeroplane transmitted ‘we are in an overspeed condition descending’ with the rest unintelligible. Subsequent communications described that the aeroplane was descending rapidly and gave an altitude callout. Sadly all aboard were lost.
Why This Matters
This incident brings renewed attention to the severe hazards that high-altitude atmospheric icing and turbulence pose to private aviation. When business jets encounter freezing temperatures and precipitation at cruising altitudes, airframe icing can rapidly alter aircraft aerodynamics, affecting handling characteristics and flight envelope protections.
The NTSB’s ongoing inquiry will center on how quickly conditions deteriorated, the aircraft’s de-icing and anti-icing systems, and how the crew managed the overspeed dive following their altitude deviations. A preliminary report from federal safety investigators is expected in the coming weeks, which will provide deeper technical context into the mechanical and meteorological elements that led to the crash.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was on board the aircraft?
The flight carried nine individuals, all of whom died in the crash. The victims included Captain Jeff Gregory, 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their children Emma (4) and Charlie (2), alongside Rachel Reed, Charmi Fehr, and Anita Maria Cetina.
What caused the aircraft to descend rapidly?
According to NTSB Member Tom Chapman, the flight crew encountered temperatures of -47Ā°C, precipitation, and moderate turbulence with significant altitude deviations while managing ice at 35,000 feet. Shortly after receiving clearance to climb to 37,000 feet, the crew declared a Mayday, transmitting that they were in an overspeed descent before contact was lost.
What was Joe Mixon’s connection to the flight?
Joe Mixon stated that he had flown on the exact same private aircraft just one month prior to the crash, guided by the same two pilots, Captain Jeff Gregory and Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras.
