A 20-year-old Brazilian pilot, Nathalia Filgueiras, was among nine people killed after a Learjet 60 crashed and exploded near West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday.
Filgueiras, who reportedly obtained her pilot’s licence at the age of 17, was one of two crew members aboard the aircraft.
The jet was travelling from Austin, Texas, to the Bahamas when the crash occurred.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said investigators were examining whether ice, turbulence or human error contributed to the accident.
According to the report, the crew encountered ice and moderate turbulence shortly after take-off and requested permission to climb to 37,000 feet.
However, less than 30 seconds later, the pilots issued a mayday call.
Air traffic control recordings captured a crew member declaring an emergency and reporting that the aircraft was descending at approximately 20,000 feet per minute.
The final cockpit transmission reportedly included the words, “we’re out of time”, before the jet crashed onto a residential street and burst into flames.
Debris was scattered across nearby homes, businesses and sports fields, raising the possibility that the aircraft broke apart before impact.
One person on the ground sustained a leg injury, while investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash.
