Authorities released recordings of frantic 911 calls made after a private Learjet nosedived into a residential area of Greenacres, about seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach, on Sunday. The aircraft, carrying nine occupants, erupted in a fireball on impact, killing everyone on board.
What residents heard
One caller described the scene to dispatchers: “I think an airplane, a rocket, something fell from the sky. We felt our house shake, then heard an explosion when we ran outside. We didn’t see the thing fall, but sparks came out and there was a bunch of smoke.” Another resident near the trailer park said, “It is a really big explosion, it’s around the trailer homes that are built here.”
Flight details and emergency response
The co‑pilot, Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, was heard calmly reporting ice buildup to air traffic control as the jet entered a thunderstorm. Turbulence tossed the plane up and down by roughly 700 feet before it entered an overspeed condition, descending at about 20,000 feet per minute. “Declare an emergency 722‑Bravo‑Delta. We are in an overspeed condition descending 20,000 feet per minute!” she reported before the aircraft vanished from radar.
First responders arrived to find a crater and a wide debris field amid thick black smoke. The crash destroyed most of the aircraft, leaving little intact. About 600 nearby residents were displaced, and a temporary shelter was set up for occupants of nearly 80 mobile homes in the vicinity. Only one ground‑injury was reported.
Victims
The victims included 55‑year‑old pilot Jeff Gregory, 20‑year‑old co‑pilot Filgueiras, technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two young children, friends of the family, and the children’s nanny.
Investigation underway
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation but has not yet determined a cause. A preliminary report outlining the factual timeline will be released about 30 days after the crash; a more detailed analysis, including probable cause, will follow later.
Local officials continue to coordinate shelter services and support for displaced families while the investigation proceeds.
Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.
