What was supposed to be a family trip to the Bahamas ended in a devastating plane crash that claimed nine lives, including those of Austin-based technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife and their two young children. The private Learjet 60 went down in Palm Beach County, Florida, on Sunday, November 1, 2026, leaving several families grieving an unimaginable loss.
Robinson, who was 45, was traveling with his wife, Helen Sharp, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2. Also aboard were three other passengers and two pilots. The families of those killed later confirmed their identities in a joint statement, bringing attention to the personal stories behind the deadly crash.
The other passengers included Rachael Reed, Charmi Fehr and Anita Maria Cetina. Reed and Fehr were friends of the family, while Cetina helped care for the children and was described by relatives as someone who had become part of the family. The two pilots were identified as Jeff Gregory and Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras.
Robinson was the founder and CEO of Retention.com and RB2B, technology companies that helped businesses identify visitors to their websites and improve their marketing efforts. He was also associated with MoltSets. His death has sent shock waves through the business community, particularly among colleagues who knew him as a company leader, friend and mentor.
Helen was also an entrepreneur. She ran a ceramics business and had previously founded and led a public relations firm. Together, she and Adam were raising their two young children, whom their families described as the center of their lives.
The Learjet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas. At approximately 12:50 p.m. Sunday, the aircraft crashed near Military Trail in the Greenacres area of Palm Beach County. The impact caused a massive fire, leaving wreckage scattered around the crash site.
Federal investigators later revealed that the flight crew had reported ice accumulating on the aircraft, moderate turbulence and precipitation before the crash. The crew had also requested a higher altitude as conditions worsened. The aircraft then entered a rapid descent before hitting the ground.
The National Transportation Safety Board said investigators had found indications that the aircraft may have started breaking apart before impact. Officials are examining the weather, aircraft condition, flight crew actions and other possible factors. The exact cause has not been established.
The crash also affected people living near the impact site. Authorities arranged the evacuation of about 600 residents from a nearby mobile-home community as emergency crews worked around the wreckage. Investigators also reported that one person on the ground suffered a leg injury.
For the families left behind, the loss goes far beyond the destruction of an aircraft. Four members of one family, including two very young children, were among those killed. Three other passengers and both pilots also lost their lives.
Robinson’s company and loved ones are now left to deal with a loss that has shaken their personal and professional circles. What began as a trip from Texas to the Bahamas ended with nine people never making it to their destination.
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