Adam Robinson's Birthday Trip to the Bahamas With Wife and Two Children Ended in Learjet Crash

Technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson was heading to the Bahamas with his wife, Helen Sharp, and their two young children for a birthday celebration when their Learjet crashed in Florida, killing all nine people on board. The aircraft came down in Lake Worth Beach, Palm Beach County, on Sunday, 1 November 2026.

Robinson and Sharp were accompanied by their daughter Emma, four, and son Charlie, two, along with the children's caregiver, two family friends and two pilots. Their Learjet 60 departed Austin, Texas, bound for North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas.

A Birthday Getaway to the Bahamas

Robinson and his family had planned to spend about a week in the Bahamas to celebrate his birthday, with two friends joining them. The trip ended before they reached North Eleuthera, their intended destination.

People familiar with the trip told TMZ that Robinson was heading to the Bahamas for his birthday and planned to stay for about a week. They did not give his birthday date, say how old he was turning or mention plans for a party. It remains unclear whether the crash happened on his birthday.

A Tribute to Helen Sharp and the Children

Adam Robinson and Helen Sharp were remembered as devoted parents in a joint statement from the victims' families, who described their children, Emma, four, and Charlie, two, as 'the light of their lives'.

'Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever,' the families said. They recalled the couple's warmth and generosity, and their gift for making others feel welcome.

'Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return,' the statement continued.

The families also paid tribute to Anita Maria Cetina, who cared for Emma and Charlie 'with tenderness and devotion'. They described her as 'truly part of the family', saying she had left a legacy of unconditional love and devotion.

The statement thanked first responders, investigators and the Palm Beach County community for their support, and expressed sympathy for the pilots' families. The families asked for privacy while they grieved and said details of memorial services would be shared once arrangements had been made.

Family friends Rachael Reed and Charmi Fehr were also remembered in the statement as being 'full of joy and adventure' and devoted to the life they were building together.

NTSB Investigates Florida Learjet Crash

National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman said the aircraft had been airborne for almost two hours and 45 minutes before crashing southwest of West Palm Beach. It struck near a busy roadway, leaving a crater and scattering wreckage across the surrounding area.

Investigators said a man driving nearby suffered leg injuries, although their extent was unclear in the initial account. The NTSB identifies the aircraft's operator as Aurora Aviation, doing business as Upper Jet.

Preliminary evidence suggested parts of the aircraft may have separated before impact, Chapman said, potentially scattering components beyond the main wreckage. Investigators were also examining weather conditions after the crew reported icing and turbulence, but had not established the cause of the crash.

Maintenance records indicated that a cockpit voice recorder had been installed on the aircraft, although investigators had not confirmed whether it was still aboard during the flight. Chapman said investigators hoped to recover the device.

Heavy rain had filled the impact crater with water, complicating efforts to retrieve major sections of the wreckage from the roadway. NTSB investigator Timothy Monville described recovery as a 'several-day process', an estimate for work at the scene rather than completion of the investigation.