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Florida crash: Who was 20-year-old copilot Nathalia

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In short

The National Transportation Safety Board is examining the crash of a Learjet 60 that plummeted toward a residential area near Cresthaven at a rate exceeding 20,000 feet per minute. Before losing control, the flight crew declared an emergency while dealing with severe turbulence and atmospheric icing at cruising altitude. Among the nine fatalities was 20-year-old first officer Nathalia Gadelha, who held 1,300 flight hours and had earned her initial license through a local high school aviation track. Independent safety experts believe the extreme atmospheric conditions could have triggered an aerodynamic stall at 34,000 feet.

Key points

  • National Transportation Safety Board personnel are evaluating the operational response to…: National Transportation Safety Board personnel are evaluating the operational response to severe inflight icing and turbulence.
  • Nathalia Gadelha had built an experienced commercial flying career spanning 1,300 hours d…: Nathalia Gadelha had built an experienced commercial flying career spanning 1,300 hours despite being only 20 years old.
  • The official cause of the nine-fatality disaster remains undetermined as federal authorit…: The official cause of the nine-fatality disaster remains undetermined as federal authorities launch their on-site investigation.

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Her family has spoken about her love of flying. They have talked about her ambitions for the future. They felt extremely proud watching her chase her dream. The inputs are taken from the New York Post and Marca.

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Who was Nathalia Gadelha, the Learjet 60 co-pilot?

Nathalia Gadelha grew up in Palm Beach County, Florida and was the middle of three sisters. Her interest in aviation began when she was young, after her father took her flying in his small Beechcraft Bonanza.Her mother, Camila, recalled how her daughter announced that she wanted to become a pilot after one of those flights.

“One day after flying with him, she came home, and we were in our room, and she walked in, and she said, ‘I’m gonna be a pilot’ and I said, ‘No, you won’t,” Camila told The New York Post.

Her stepfather, Thiago Corteleti, supported the ambition. Gadelha eventually turned that childhood dream into a career, earning her pilot's license and later working as a commercial pilot.

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