Father of Learjet co-pilot who died in crash speaks out after listening to her last words in recording
The father of the 20-year-old co-pilot who died when the Learjet 60 she and eight others were on board crashed in Florida said he has listened to his daughter's final radio transmissions and says she fought 'until the end'.
Allan Filgueiras, who is also a pilot, says the November 1 death of his daughter, Nathalia Filgueiras, left him searching for answers.
In his grief, he said he listened to her final words as she was Bahamas bound after departing from Austin, Texas with technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife, Helen Sharp, their two young children, nanny Ana María Ramírez Cetina, and couple, Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr.
55-year-old Jeff Gregory, the pilot, also died in the crash.
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"I did listen to that many times trying to find a clue. In my head. How'd that happen? And wow, she's tough," Filgueiras said at a news conference on November 6.
Her final moments were heard in recordings that have been released to the public, and heard her calling 'mayday' as she claims the Learjet was 'banking' and in a nosedive as it fell 20,000 feet per minute.
At first, she can be heard calmly reporting ice buildup on the plane during a thunderstorm, as well as encountering turbulence.
Soon after, things became dire.
"Declare an emergency 722-Bravo-Delta. We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute!" she said in the recording.
Her father, who also spoke in Spanish, said he was proud that despite the situation, she continued to declare updates to air traffic control.
"For the family — it's like having the heart torn from my chest," her father said, as reported by NBC News. "I have to find a way to go on living."
"She showed me what it is to be a hero because once you see that coming, a lot of the big boys — military or whatever — they can't handle. And she was the one over there to the last minute fighting," Allan Filgueiras said.
“She made me so proud,” he said of his daughter.
Stuart Grossman, an attorney representing the family, also spoke of Nathalia at the conference, as he said the investigation will answer questions people have about the crash.
He also said he wanted to clear up any misconception that she was not experienced enough to co-pilot the let as he said of the aim of the conference: “The purpose of this is to preserve not just her memory but her reputation. Nathalia was beyond an average pilot; she was extraordinary.”
His daughter can be heard in recordings as she first reported ‘moderate turbulence’ before telling the air traffic control: “Mayday mayday... we’re descending 10,000ft per minute.”
She then said: “Declaring emergency, declaring emergency, we are in an overspeed condition.”
The air traffic controller responded: “I’m here with you, talk to me."
She then announced: “We are descending 22,000ft, and we are banking 60 degrees.”
Her final transmission was: “We’re out of time.”
Britt Jones
