Sao Paulo witnessed a tragic incident on Friday morning when a small aircraft went down shortly after departing from a nearby private airport, leading to the death of the pilot and the aircraft’s owner, according to officials. The two occupants were the sole individuals on board at the time of the crash.
The aircraft crashed in the bustling Barra Funda area, located on the city’s west side and not far from downtown. Reports indicate that a fragment of the plane collided with a bus, injuring a woman inside, while another piece of debris impacted a motorcyclist. Both individuals are reportedly receiving medical treatment.
Following the crash, an additional update revealed that four other people suffered minor injuries and were transported to local hospitals for care. Governor Tarcísio de Freitas announced via X platform that the deceased were the pilot, identified as Gustavo Medeiros, and the plane’s owner, Márcio Carpena. Surveillance footage acquired by a local television station captured the crash moment, showing the plane hitting the ground just a few meters beyond an intersection, where vehicles were halted in traffic.
Local media outlets provided images depicting the wreckage of the plane and the bus engulfed in flames, with firefighters actively working to douse the fire. The highway is surrounded by numerous office buildings and is in close proximity to a significant bus, train, and subway station.
At this time, authorities have not determined the cause of the aircraft’s unexpected descent less than three miles from the airport, where it had only been airborne for a brief period. The flight was en route to Porto Alegre, located in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The Brazilian Air Force has announced that it will conduct a swift investigation into the incident. In recent years, Brazil has seen a series of deadly accidents involving small aircraft, including a particularly shocking case last August in Vinhedo, near Sao Paulo, where a passenger plane spiraled before crashing into a residential backyard, resulting in the loss of all 72 lives on board.
