A pilot survived by the skin of his teeth after his small plane caught fire and crashed into a field.
Dramatic footage shows the single-engine aircraft slowly losing altitude with its emergency parachute deployed as smoke billows from the plane.
The aircraft then smashes into the ground before its mangled wreckage is engulfed in flames, sending thick black smoke pouring into the sky.
READ MORE: Tourists and shop owners trade punches and kicks after brawl erupts
Pilot Gustavo Couto de Salles, 29, was the only person on board the Cirrus SR-22 G3 Grand and managed to scramble free before fire completely destroyed the aircraft.
The plane came down in a wooded area in the Serra Azul district of Mateus Leme, Brazil, yesterday (25 August) morning, as reported by Need To Know.
When rescuers arrived, Gustavo was conscious and managed to board a fire brigade helicopter unaided.
He suffered only minor injuries but had inhaled a large amount of smoke.
Gustavo was flown to hospital in Belo Horizonte in a moderate condition and was discharged later that afternoon.
He had taken off from Belo Horizonte and was heading to Bom Despacho, more than 80 miles away, for routine maintenance when the 2013-built aircraft lost power and caught fire.
Gustavo told local media: “I lost power, and when I realised I was no longer in control of the aircraft, I steered it away from the city of Mateus Leme and looked for a better place to make an emergency landing.
“Then I saw it was on fire, so I deployed the parachute and waited for us to hit the ground.
“I got out of the plane, and it caught fire because there was still a lot of fuel on board.”
No one on the ground was injured in the terrifying crash.
Farmer Fabrícia Macieira described the panic as the aircraft plummeted towards the ground.
She told local media: “We didn’t know where to run because we thought it was going to crash on top of us.
“Everyone was running. I’m elderly, so I just fell flat on the ground.”
Brazil’s aviation accident investigation agency, CENIPA, will investigate the crash.
Local media reported that the aircraft had a valid airworthiness certificate.
Gustavo said he prayed as he desperately tried to remember what he needed to do to survive.
He recalled: “All the time, I was asking God to help me remember everything I needed to do.
“I believe the parachute helped me a lot because with all that smoke in the cabin, it’s difficult to operate all the aircraft’s controls.”
The dramatic escape came during an already special week for Gustavo’s family.
His son turns two months old today (26 August), while Gustavo celebrated his birthday yesterday.
His wife, Brenda Monteiro Couto, said: “He’s celebrating today and tomorrow.
“It’s his birthday today, and our son’s tomorrow. For me, it’s incredible – the best present I could have.”
READ MORE: Film-like chase unfolds in popular holiday hotspot after man steals €850,000 boat
