Texas Tech Founder and Family Killed in Palm Beach Jet Crash

A private jet crashed into a residential area in South Florida on Sunday, killing all seven people on board.

The aircraft was bound for the Bahamas when it went down in Greenacres, a community located seven miles southwest of West Palm Beach. Relatives confirmed the identities of the victims in a statement posted on Facebook on Monday. The passengers included Adam Robinson, a Texas-based tech entrepreneur, and his wife Helen Sharp. Their two children, Emma, age 4, and Charlie, age 2, were also aboard. The group traveled with friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr, as well as the children's nanny, Anita Maria Cetina.

Robinson served as the founder and CEO of multiple technology companies, according to his LinkedIn profile. The family expressed gratitude to first responders and the Palm Beach County community in their public message. They also noted their support for the families of the two pilots who lost their lives in the accident.

Jeff Gregory, a former employee of East Coast Jets, was identified as the pilot. The charter company issued a statement expressing deep sadness over his death. Nathalia G. Filgueiras, a 20-year-old co-pilot, was the second crew member. Family members stated that she earned her pilot license at age 17 and learned to fly from her father.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators are expected to remain at the crash site for several days to recover wreckage. Officials reported that the aircraft began breaking apart before impact, scattering debris across a wide area. Weather conditions are a primary focus of the investigation. Rain battered the region on Sunday, and one pilot reported icing conditions at high altitude during communications with air traffic control. Hundreds of local residents are managing the aftermath of the crash, with some spending the night in a shelter.

The exact cause of the crash remains under investigation.