A relatives’ statement identified the technology entrepreneur and his family as investigators work to establish the cause of Sunday’s crash.

Technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp and their children Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were among nine people killed in the November 1 Learjet 60 crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, according to a family statement reported by CBS Austin.

Representative file photo: A Learjet 60 registered N317MM at Daytona Beach International Airport in 2026. This is not a photograph of the November 1 crash and does not identify its aircraft or occupants. Photo: ZLEA (cropped). Source photograph · CC BY-SA 4.0.

The identification came in a joint statement issued Monday afternoon by relatives of the seven passengers, CBS Austin reported. The Associated Press also reported that Robinson, Sharp and their children were among those killed, citing the families’ statement.

Robinson’s work in technology

Robinson’s professional biography identifies him as the founder and CEO of Retention.com, a software business serving e-commerce brands. He described his work as building self-funded software companies, and he also developed a public presence connected with RB2B.

Before Retention.com, he co-founded Robly Email Marketing, where he served as CEO. His biography describes that company’s work in email marketing and automation. Earlier in his career, he worked as a credit-default-swap trader at Lehman Brothers and Barclays Capital.

He also published business content on LinkedIn and created the 2023 docuseries Billion Dollar Challenge. His website described ongoing work on content and a community around RB2B. Those activities made his professional profile visible beyond the customers of an individual software product.

Retention.com’s focus on e-commerce marketing placed his work at the intersection of online retail and digital advertising. His biography emphasized owned customer audiences and identity technology as part of the product’s approach.

What is known about the flight

The Learjet had departed Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for North Eleuthera in the Bahamas on Sunday. CBS Austin reported that federal investigators said seven passengers and two crew members were aboard.

The aircraft crashed in Palm Beach County, killing everyone on board. Reporting available on November 2 identified the passengers through their relatives while the technical investigation remained underway. The family identification establishes who was aboard; the cause of the crash remains a separate question.

How investigators establish a cause

The National Transportation Safety Board’s explanation of its process describes several stages, beginning with notification and fact gathering, followed by analysis and a probable-cause determination. Investigators can collect information at the scene and obtain additional records elsewhere, including flight logs, maintenance documentation and interviews.

The agency says those stages can overlap. An investigator may analyze weather information while waiting for records, and an examination of engine-performance data can prompt further requests to a manufacturer. That process involves assembling and testing evidence before adopting a final report.

The NTSB also says the time needed varies with an investigation’s complexity and the agency’s workload. A final report becomes public after it is adopted. Its general process does not supply a completion date for this particular crash.

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