On Sunday, November 1, a tragic recording from the cockpit of a Learjet 60 captured the final moments as the plane descended rapidly toward a neighborhood in Florida. In the audio, 20-year-old co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras could be heard urging someone to look outside. Investigators are still trying to determine what led to the loss of control of the aircraft. Neuroscientist Derek Van Schaik has provided insights into why the young co-pilot’s microphone remained active during this critical time, noting that this aspect makes the crash particularly noteworthy.
Van Schaik, who has master’s degrees in psychology and forensic psychology, runs a YouTube channel where he discusses psychological topics related to various events. In a video, he played a portion of Filgueiras’ final moments and examined why she might have kept transmitting audio to air traffic control. The recording showed her conversing with the captain, with other voices also audible in the background. Van Schaik highlighted that such interactions are usually recorded only by the flight voice recorder, making this situation unique.
He explained that the audio became available to the public because Filgueiras seemed to have continuously pressed the “push-to-talk button.” He proposed that extreme stress could have affected her awareness, possibly leading her to forget this action. He also considered the possibility that she might have continued to transmit audio, hoping that air traffic control could offer assistance. Alternatively, she might have sensed the importance of documenting the events inside the aircraft.
While reviewing the recording, Van Schaik pointed out a moment when Filgueiras’ voice appeared to turn into a scream as the situation grew more urgent. He discussed the heavy responsibility the pilots faced, knowing they were in charge of seven passengers, including two young children. Van Schaik described the emotional weight of the realization that everyone on board was in danger as extremely difficult.
All nine individuals on the Learjet tragically lost their lives. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) provided new information during a press conference regarding the investigation. A spokesperson reported that a majority of the aircraft’s left elevator was found in three pieces, scattered up to 3.8 miles from the crash site. This discovery raises questions about how these parts detached from the plane. The spokesperson explained that this finding has shifted the investigation’s focus, indicating that some essential components separated from the aircraft before impact. However, it remains unclear if the detached part contributed to the plane’s loss of control.
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Source: Bored Panda, by Lei RV