A helicopter has crashed with a family on board as the pilot is accused of flying without a licence.
The Robinson R44 Raven II four-seater chopper, registration PR-DCM, lost power as it took off next to a luxury hotel.
Footage showed the helicopter apparently losing power during its initial climb before plunging from the sky and crashing in a field.
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At the time, the chopper was carrying four people, including the pilot and a 9-year-old boy.
Local reports said the engine lost power following a refuelling stop.
The crash took place near the Garden Hotel in Campina Grande, Brazil, on Saturday (18 Apr).
The pilot, identified as 46-year-old businessman Josevan Rodrigues Ferreira, was taken into custody on Sunday after a Civil Police investigation confirmed he lacked the necessary qualifications to operate the chopper.
Police chief Rodrigo Monteiro said: “It was confirmed that he lacked a licence to pilot that aircraft, as well as having an expired aeronautical medical certificate.”
Ferreira initially received medical treatment at the Campina Grande Trauma Hospital before being arrested upon his discharge.
He has since been released to face charges of endangering air transport safety.
Despite the helicopter sustaining substantial damage, all four occupants – three adults and a child – survived the impact.
The passengers included the pilot’s twin brother Josean Rodrigues Ferreira, and the helicopter owner, businessman Lamartynne Oliveira.
Witnesses said the flight lasted only about 15 seconds before the engine failed.
The Brazilian Air Force and the Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Centre have launched a full investigation into the crash.
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