The tragic final message from young pilot Nathalia Gadelha is revealed following the horrific accident in Florida that left 9 people dead

Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras was living out her dream of becoming a professional pilot when a devastating aircraft accident in Florida claimed her life alongside eight others and now, a heartbreaking message sent to her boyfriend shortly before the crash has emerged. The 20-year-old was serving as co-pilot aboard a Learjet 60 that crashed in Palm Beach County on Sunday, November 1, killing everyone on board and the new offering a glimpse into the terrifying conditions aboard the aircraft.

According to her stepfather, Thiago Corteleti , Gadelha contacted her boyfriend, who is also a pilot, shortly before the disaster. "She texted her boyfriend, I think, at 12:40 p.m. and the accident was at 12:50 p.m.," the 44-year-old Corteleti told The New York Post as her message reportedly contained just a few words, but they would take on heartbreaking significance following the tragedy. "She just said, 'I've got turbulence, I've got ice,'" her stepfather recalled Gadelha saying as the communication came as the aircraft encountered increasingly difficult conditions during its journey from Austin, Texas , towards the Bahamas . Air traffic control recordings subsequently captured the crew reporting icing and turbulence before declaring an emergency. All nine occupants were killed when the aircraft crashed, with investigators now examining the circumstances surrounding its rapid descent.

Nathalia Gadelha had already logged 1300 flying hours

Despite being just 20, Gadelha had already built considerable experience in aviation and was pursuing her ambition of becoming a commercial airline pilot after she obtained her private pilot's license in October 2023, aged just 17, while attending West Boca Raton High School . Her achievement attracted attention from local media, particularly because she had not yet obtained her driver's license and she boasted about gaining her wings before being allowed to handle four wheels on a road. By the time of Sunday's accident, Gadelha had reportedly accumulated more than 1,300 flight hours and had been working as a commercial pilot for approximately nine months. She had also trained at American Flyers , a flight school headquartered in Addison, Texas , which operates a location in Pompano Beach, Florida and her social media frequently featured photographs and videos of her flying. Footage including her boyfriend Justin , with whom she shared an interest in aviation and Gadelha had previously highlighted how unusual it was for two pilots under the age of 21 to hold commercial, multi-engine, instrument and flight instructor qualifications. The loss has devastated her family, particularly her mother, Regina , who admitted she had long worried that her daughter's passion for flying could ultimately separate them. "I wanted her to live her dream, but I knew that her dream was going to be the thing that would take her away from me," Regina told The New York Post. "I knew that a plane was gonna take her away from me. I always knew it, but I was so proud of her. I know she was living her dream."