A small airplane crashed at approximately 7:20 AM on Friday, September 7, on Avenida Marquês de São Vicente, located in the Barra Funda area of western São Paulo. According to the São Paulo Fire Brigade, the incident occurred right outside the headquarters of the Companhia de Engenharia de Tráfego (CET). The aircraft fell onto one of the busiest roadways likely impacting other vehicles on the road. At least five emergency vehicles were dispatched to the scene, yet there is no information yet on casualties.
According to São Paulo's Secretary of Public Safety, Guilherme Derrite, the fire control tasks were quickly taken over by firefighting teams on the ground, who were supported by police forces from the military and civil branches. “Our teams are dedicated to responding to the crash of the twin-engine aircraft on Avenida Marquês de São Vicente, São Paulo,” Derrite posted on social media.
The aircraft, identified as a King Air model, reportedly tried to make an emergency landing when it collided with a bus, resulting in explosions. Tragically, two people onboard the plane were killed—pilot Gustavo Medeiros and businessman and attorney Márcio Louzada Carpena. Seven others were rescued from the site.
The crash site is known for its high traffic, surrounded by shopping areas, parks, and stadiums. It raised concerns due to the dense population surrounding such busy thoroughfares. Eyewitnesses commented on how they noticed the airplane descending low before colliding with the street, creating significant chaos.
Witness accounts noted the horrifying moments surrounding the crash. A passenger on the bus reported feeling the vehicle dragged approximately 100 meters during the impact of the collision. Fortunately, all passengers managed to evacuate the bus following the crash, still shaken by the explosion they witnessed.
The plane had taken off from Campo de Marte Airport at around 7:17 AM, headed for Porto Alegre. Just as the plane lifted off, it lost contact with control towers around three minutes after takeoff. The last known signal was received at 7:17 AM before the sudden descent.
With the crash occurring near Avenida Marquês de São Vicente's intersection with Praça José Vieira de Carvalho Mesquita, the area saw immediate action as firefighting brigades fought the flames arising from the wreckage. Eyewitnesses described scenes filled with shock and horror, as chaos ensued when passengers realized the situation.
Accounts of those on the bus detailed how they noticed little about the crash prior to impact. Yasmin Dias, who was seated on the bus, shared, "When the airplane was descending, no one saw anything. When it crashed right behind our bus, the impact was enormous; the bus lurched forward instantly." The driver thought something minor might have occurred before realizing it was the airplane crashing.
Following the crash, first responders quickly attended to several injuries. A number of people, including the bus driver and nearby pedestrians, sustained non-life-threatening injuries ranging from mild to moderate. Four people were reportedly treated for shock and minor injuries, including one elderly woman who had suffered head trauma.
The aircraft itself was manufactured in 1981 and was recently transferred to Máxima Inteligência Operações Estruturadas LTDA, the ownership changed just last December. Investigations are currently being conducted by the Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (Cenipa), who are tasked with examining the causes of this crash.
According to aviation experts, mechanical failure appears to be the likely cause of the accident. “Everything suggests there was some sort of technical failure,” said Daniel Kalazans, an aeronautical expert. He noted the challenges associated with landing such aircraft around busy urban environments, where unavoidable obstacles like poles and cable wires create significant safety hazards.
This incident marks at least the eighth reported crash of small aircraft within Brazil during the last four months. The increase of incidents is alarming, particularly considering factors such as rising flight frequencies and changing climate conditions which some analysts suggest could influence overall safety.
Among those fatalities was Márcio Louzada Carpena, who was identified by the Ordem dos Advogados do Brasil (OAB-RS) as the airplane's owner, along with pilot Gustavo Medeiros. With their lives tragically cut short, communities are mourning the loss felt from this tragic aviation incident.
Both the local authorities and agencies have expressed their sympathies, reiteratively underscoring the response effort undertaken by emergency services to maintain safety and address the aftermath of this devastating crash.