Friends Believe Pilot Jeff Gregory Recited the Lord’s Prayer Before Florida Jet Crash That Killed Nine

Captain Jeff Gregory, a Pennsylvania pilot who died in the November 1 Learjet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, is being remembered as a devoted husband, father and Christian whose love of flying began in childhood.

Gregory, 55, of Gilbertsville, was among nine people killed when the Bahamas-bound Learjet 60 crashed in Greenacres after departing Austin, Texas. His co-pilot, 20-year-old Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras, also died.

The tragedy has drawn particular attention within Christian communities because a man can be heard reciting the Lord's Prayer during the aircraft's final radio transmissions. Friends who knew Gregory believe the voice was his, although that identification has not been officially confirmed.

Gregory grew up attending Limerick Chapel in Pennsylvania, where both his parents worked. Those who knew him recall his early fascination with aviation. Federal Aviation Administration records show that he obtained his airline transport pilot certificate in 2021 and held qualifications to fly multiple Learjet models.

According to the tribute shared about his life, Gregory began flight training in the 1990s. His career eventually allowed him to pursue the dream he had carried since boyhood.

Following his death, friend and colleague Thomas Noetzel organised a GoFundMe campaign to support Gregory's wife, Cheryl, and their three children. Noetzel, director of operations at Upper Jets, the company operating the flight, described Gregory as a close personal friend.

"Knowing him has made me a better person," Noetzel wrote. Other tributes have recalled Gregory's Christian convictions and his care for those around him.

The shared tribute also states that Limerick Chapel and Grace Baptist Church have joined together to plan a celebration of his life.

Passengers killed in the crash included Austin technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife, Helen Sharp, their two children, two family friends and the children's nanny.

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. Investigators have recovered aircraft components several miles from the impact site, but the cause of the crash remains undetermined.