The authorities have identified the victims of accident involving a small plane that hit a residential building in Belo Horizonte on Monday afternoon (4)According to the Civil Police, the pilot Wellington Oliveira, 34, and the passenger Fernando Moreira Souto, 36, died at the scene. Souto was the son of the mayor of Jequitinhonha (MG), Nilo Souto (PDT).
Survivors remain hospitalized in serious condition.
Three other people who were on the aircraft were rescued alive, but in serious condition. They are: Arthur Schaper Berganholi, 25, who suffered a broken foot; Leonardo Berganholi Martins, 50; and Hemerson Cleiton Almeida Souza, 53. All were taken to the João XXIII Emergency Hospital, a reference center for emergency care in the capital of Minas Gerais.
Images taken during the rescue show one of the victims conscious, even with injuries, being removed from the scene by rescue teams.
Dynamics of the accident and damage to the building.
The plane had taken off from Pampulha Airport shortly before the crash. Preliminary information indicates that the aircraft lost altitude in the early stages of flight and ended up colliding with the side of a three-story building in the Silveira neighborhood.
According to the Fire Department, the impact affected the stairwell area of the building. Despite the severity, all residents were safely evacuated, and there is no indication of immediate structural risk.
There was also a fuel leak in a nearby parking lot, but the risk of explosion was controlled by emergency crews.
Reports from residents reveal moments of tension.
Residents of the building described the impact and rescue as moments of panic. Housewife Valdete Martins, who has lived there for almost 50 years, told [the news outlet]... FSP who had to wait in the apartment while the firefighters prioritized the injured.
“They asked me to stay there quietly, drinking water, while they helped the injured. Then they put up a ladder for me to climb down,” she reported. According to her, the building's structure was severely damaged: “There are no more stairs, only airplane parts.”
Another resident, 23-year-old Natalia Bicalho, was not in the building at the time of the accident. "It was a miracle I wasn't there," she said.
Investigation looks into takeoff failure.
The Civil Police are investigating the causes of the accident and are working with the hypothesis of a failure during takeoff. Delegate Andrea Pochman stated that witnesses reported problems right after leaving the airport.
"The information we have from a witness is that, at Pampulha airport itself, the takeoff was already incorrect, that it was already losing altitude," he stated.
The aircraft, a NEIVA EMB-721C model manufactured in 1979, was in good standing according to official records. The aircraft had been recently acquired and was still undergoing a transfer of ownership.
The flight was a private one, originating in Teófilo Otoni (MG), with a stopover in Belo Horizonte and final destination in São Paulo.
Forensics and Cenipa are working on the case.
The Brazilian Air Force reported that investigators from the Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Cenipa) have already begun work at the site. The initial stage includes data collection, damage analysis, and preservation of evidence.
The Civil Police also conducted an investigation before the bodies were removed. The investigation continues to clarify what caused the crash shortly after takeoff.
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