Developing story: This is a developing story. Information below comes from family statements, NTSB updates and news reports published November 1 to 11, 2026, and it may change as investigators release findings. Latest update (November 11): the NTSB has recovered the cockpit voice recorder and is evaluating it; no cause has been determined. We will update this page.
Quick answer: A private Learjet 60 flying from Austin, Texas, toward the Bahamas crashed in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, 2026. All nine people aboard died, including Austin tech entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp and their two young children. The cause has not been determined.
Austin entrepreneur Adam Robinson, the founder of the software companies Retention.com and RB2B, died on Sunday, November 1, 2026, along with his wife and their two young children when a private jet bound for the Bahamas crashed in South Florida. The families of those on board confirmed the identities in a joint statement released Monday.
What Happened
- The aircraft: a Learjet 60 that departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, bound for the Bahamas.
- The crash: Sunday afternoon, November 1, in a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, Florida. Media reports described a large fire after impact.
- Everyone aboard died: nine people in total, seven passengers and two pilots.
- Before the crash: investigators said the jet entered a rapid descent after the crew reported icing and turbulence, and the co-pilot reportedly radioed air traffic control before the crash.
- The NTSB: the National Transportation Safety Board is investigating and has said it has some evidence the aircraft broke up before impact. It has not stated a cause.
Florida Jet Crash Timeline
The news reports listed under Sources, and the timeline according to investigators is 12:48:28 p.m. ET: Less than 30 seconds after the climb is approved, the crew announces an overspeed condition and a rapid descent, followed by a "Mayday" call as the plane begins dropping at 8,000 to 10,000 feet per minute.
Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Morning: The Learjet 60 leaves Austin-Bergstrom International Airport bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas, with nine people aboard.
- Shortly before the crash: The NTSB says the crew reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence at 35,000 feet and asked to climb. Air traffic control recordings reported by the Austin American-Statesman also capture the crew describing ice buildup and turbulence.
- Moments later: The crew declares an emergency and reports an overspeed condition during a rapid descent. Flight-tracking data shows the aircraft dropping about 27,000 feet in roughly a minute before it stops transmitting near Greenacres.
- About 12:50 p.m.: The jet crashes in a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, according to the FAA. All nine people aboard die. Florida's governor says there were no reports of injuries on the ground.
- Later that day: The NTSB announces it is sending a team of investigators, and the FAA says it will assist.
Monday, November 2
- NTSB briefing: Board member Tom Chapman says investigators have found indications the aircraft may have started breaking apart before impact. He also says maintenance records show a cockpit voice recorder was installed, but investigators do not yet know whether it was still aboard.
- Afternoon: The families release a joint statement identifying the victims, including Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp and their two children.
Wednesday, November 4 and Thursday, November 5
- Wednesday: The NTSB begins excavating the impact site and recovers parts of the plane's left elevator, the tail surface that controls pitch.
- By Thursday: The NTSB reports the left elevator was found in three pieces, between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the impact site, and that a portion of one engine has been recovered. Debris is also found away from the crash site, including on nearby rooftops. Investigators call the elevator find significant evidence that part of the plane separated before impact, but say they have not determined whether it contributed to the crash.
Sunday, November 8 and Monday, November 9
- Sunday: The NTSB says it has recovered components from both wings and both engines.
- Monday: The NTSB announces it recovered the cockpit voice recorder from the primary impact site near Greenacres. It has been sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory in Washington, D.C., for evaluation.
November 10 and 11
- On-scene work wraps up: Reports say the NTSB has finished its on-scene work and is analyzing key wreckage, including both engines, flight controls and wings. Weather remains a main focus. The agency has asked anyone who found or collected debris not to keep, move or throw it away, and to email witness@ntsb.gov.
What comes next
- The NTSB has said a preliminary report is expected about a month after the crash. Determining a probable cause is expected to take one to two years.
Who Was on Board
In a joint statement, the families identified the passengers as Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp, their two children, ages 4 and 2, and three other people: Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Cetina. Media reports describe the group as the Robinson family, two close friends and the family's nanny. Reports also name the pilots as Jeff Gregory, 55, and co-pilot Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, 20. The trip was reportedly planned to celebrate Adam Robinson's birthday.
Note on details: outlets differ on Robinson's age, reporting both 44 and 45, so this article does not state one.
Who Was Adam Robinson?
Adam Robinson was an Austin-based software entrepreneur known for building companies without outside venture funding. He founded Retention.com, which helps e-commerce businesses identify anonymous website visitors, and later founded RB2B, which matches anonymous business-website visitors with LinkedIn profiles. Reports say he grew Retention.com past $20 million in annual recurring revenue in under four years, and he also founded an email marketing software company in 2014 that he sold to a private equity firm.
Before becoming a founder, he worked as a credit default swap trader at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital, according to his LinkedIn profile. He graduated from Rice University in 2003, where he played varsity basketball. He also built a following of more than 90,000 people on LinkedIn by sharing lessons from building startups.
Who Was Helen Sharp?
Helen Sharp was the CEO and founding partner of the public relations firm Influential PR, according to reports.
What the Families Said
In their joint statement, the families remembered Adam and Helen as devoted parents and said their children were the center of their lives.
What Caused the Crash?
The cause has not been determined. The NTSB leads the investigation. Preliminary findings usually come within a few weeks, while final reports often take a year or more. Until then, any claims about what went wrong are speculation, and this article does not make them.
What We Still Don't Know
- The cause of the crash and what led to the reported breakup of the aircraft
- What the flight data and cockpit recordings show
- The role of weather conditions, which investigators have only described in general terms so far
FAQ
Who was Adam Robinson?
An Austin tech entrepreneur who founded Retention.com and RB2B and was among nine people killed in a private jet crash in Florida on November 1, 2026.
What happened to Adam Robinson?
The Learjet 60 he was traveling on, flying from Austin to the Bahamas, crashed in Palm Beach County, Florida, killing everyone aboard.
How many people died in the crash?
Nine: seven passengers and two pilots.
Who else was on the plane?
Robinson's wife Helen Sharp, their two children, and three others named by the families: Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Cetina.
What caused the crash?
It has not been determined. The NTSB is investigating.
Where did the plane crash?
In a residential area near Cresthaven in Palm Beach County, Florida.
What is the timeline of the Florida jet crash?
The Learjet 60 left Austin on the morning of November 1, 2026 and crashed near Cresthaven, Florida, at about 12:50 p.m. local time. The NTSB began excavating the site on November 4, said on November 8 that it had recovered parts of both wings and both engines, and announced on November 9 that it had recovered the cockpit voice recorder. A preliminary report is expected about a month after the crash. See the full timeline above.
Where can I find official updates?
On the NTSB website and in statements from the families.