Aspen Tech Founder Among Nine Dead in Florida Jet Crash

Nine people died when a small jet crashed and exploded near West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sunday. The victims included a Colorado technology entrepreneur, his wife, and their two young children.

Adam Robinson, 45, was a co-founder of the email marketing platform Robly. He also founded Retention.com, a company that connects e-commerce website visitors to their email addresses. Robinson lived in Aspen with his wife, Helen Sharp, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2. Anita Maria Cetina, who helped care for the children, also died in the crash.

The other passengers identified were Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr. Nathalia Gadelha Filgueiras served as copilot on the flight. The identity of the other pilot has not yet been disclosed.

Filgueiras was 20 years old at the time of the crash. She earned her pilot license in 2023 while a 17-year-old senior at West Boca Raton Community High School. The Palm Beach County School District paid for her license as part of a specialized aviation academy. Her mother, Camila Corteleti, confirmed her daughter’s role in the flight to local news outlets.

Robinson had spoken about his life in Aspen in a recent podcast interview. He described the location as a long-held dream. He noted that he could see his children every morning and evening without frequent work travel. He also mentioned that his wife could focus on her work as a full-time artist.

Austin, Texas, was the base for Retention.com. Thom Singer, CEO of the Austin Technology Council, said Robinson was part of the local entrepreneurial community. This crash marks the second time this year that Austin has lost a tech entrepreneur in a plane accident. Joshua Baer, who led a venture capital firm, died in a crash in June.

A family statement expressed grief for the pilots alongside the seven passengers. The next step in the investigation is the release of the National Transportation Safety Board report, which is expected in the coming months.