On Monday (May 4), a small plane crashed into a residential building shortly after takeoff in the capital city of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The accident resulted in 3 fatalities and 2 severe injuries.
According to media reports, the single-engine small plane took off from Pampulha Airport, about 8 kilometers from downtown Belo Horizonte, en route to Sao Paulo. Moments after takeoff, the plane lost control and crashed at high speed into a three-story residential building near the airport.
At the time of the incident, there were 5 people on board, all except the pilot were partners in a technology company. The airport authorities revealed that the pilot had reported encountering difficulties during takeoff, but the plane still managed to ascend before losing control in the air.
Footage from the scene showed the plane descending rapidly after entering the residential area, veering left to avoid some high-rise buildings before ultimately crashing into the three-story building.
The Minas Gerais state fire department reported that the pilot and passenger in the co-pilot seat died at the scene, while the other 3 occupants on board sustained severe injuries and were rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Later that evening, the Minas Gerais Hospital Foundation confirmed that one of the injured individuals succumbed to their injuries, while the other two remained hospitalized in stable condition.
The local fire department stated that the plane ultimately crashed into the parking lot beneath the residential building. Fortunately, as the impact area was the staircase of the building and no one was present there, there were no casualties inside the building, and the structural integrity did not pose an “imminent collapse risk”. However, as a precautionary measure, all residents of the building were evacuated.
Currently, authorities are investigating the specific cause of the accident.
According to records from the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency, the plane involved was an EMB-721C model manufactured in 1979 and could carry a maximum of 5 passengers besides the pilot.