Accident with a PM plane in MG; see what is known and what remains to be clarified

The crash of a Minas Gerais Military Police plane near Vale do Aço Regional Airport, in Santana do Paraíso, left three soldiers dead this Friday afternoon (9). The victims were identified as Lieutenant Colonel Luis Fernando Silvestre, Lieutenant Alice dos Santos Almeida and Lieutenant Gabriela Emília Soares Resende.

The aircraft involved in the accident was the Pegasus 17, a twin-engine Beechcraft Super King Air 300 model, registration number PP-EJO. The case will be investigated by the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa).

See below what is already known and what remains to be clarified about the accident.

Who was on the plane?

Lieutenant Colonel Luis Fernando Silvestre, Lieutenant Alice dos Santos Almeida and Lieutenant Gabriela Emília Soares Resende are the victims of the accident with the PMMG plane in Vale do Aço — Photo: Reproduction/Social networks

The Military Police confirmed that the three occupants died in the accident.

The victims are:

Luis Fernando Silvestre, lieutenant colonel of the PMMG;

Alice dos Santos Almeida, PMMG lieutenant;

Gabriela Emília Soares Resende, PMMG lieutenant.

The three were part of the State Aviation Command (ComAvE).

Where did the aircraft come from?

According to information released by the Military Police, the plane took off from Pampulha Airport, in Belo Horizonte, on Friday afternoon.

The corporation reported that the aircraft left the capital of Minas Gerais at 3:16 pm and arrived at Vale do Aço Regional Airport at 4:02 pm.

What was the mission of the flight?

According to the Military Police, the crew was carrying out a license check flight.

According to the corporation, this type of procedure is carried out periodically to evaluate and maintain pilots' qualifications. During these flights, operational conditions, execution of maneuvers and other requirements required by the aeronautical activity are checked. The aircraft was used by the Military Police in different missions, including transporting organs for transplants.

The PM also informed that the itinerary was part of previously defined itineraries for this type of assessment.

Where did the fall occur?

Aircraft crashed near Vale do Aço Regional Airport, in Santana do Paraíso. Among the dead are a lieutenant colonel and two military police lieutenants. — Photo: Social networks

The accident occurred in an area close to the head of the runway at Vale do Aço Regional Airport, located in Santana do Paraíso.

Videos recorded after the incident show a large column of smoke in the region. Images taken at the scene also show part of the aircraft's wreckage amid vegetation and rescue teams working in the area.

Was there a problem with the aircraft?

According to the Military Police, there is no initial indication of problems related to documentation, maintenance or crew qualifications.

The corporation reported that the aircraft was up to date with maintenance and had undergone a process of modernization and equipment updating.

Also according to the PM, the pilots were qualified for aerial activity.

What happened before the fall?

Aircraft crash is reported near Vale do Aço Airport — Photo: Social networks

Preliminary information released by the specialized portal AeroIn, based on data from the AirNavRadar platform, indicates that the aircraft would have performed a go-around followed by a left turn before the crash.

The information will still be analyzed as part of the investigation and has not been officially confirmed by the bodies responsible for the investigation.

Was there a distress call or emergency communication?

This has not yet been reported.

Asked about possible communication between the crew and control bodies before the accident, the Military Police stated that they do not have this information and that any conclusion at this time would be premature.

What remains to be clarified?

The main doubts that still depend on the investigation are:

What caused the aircraft to crash;

If there was a mechanical, operational failure or other contributing factor;

If the crew communicated an emergency situation;

What were the last moments of the flight;

The exact circumstances of the attack recorded by aerial monitoring platforms.

Who will investigate?

The investigation will be carried out by Cenipa, the Air Force body responsible for investigating aviation accidents in the country.

Experts from the Civil Police, Air Force teams and other specialized bodies work at the scene of the incident. The expectation is that the analysis of the wreckage, operational records and other elements gathered by investigators will help clarify the causes of the tragedy.

PM plane crashes and leaves people dead in Vale do Aço, in MG — Photo: Arte/g1