What happened
On September 23, 2025, a Cessna 175 Skylark aircraft registered as PT-BAN crashed in the municipality of Aquidauana, located within the Pantanal region of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. The flight carried four individuals who were traveling to film a documentary regarding urban planning initiatives related to climate change mitigation.
The aircraft, owned by the pilot Marcelo Barros, was operating under private aviation regulations and was not licensed for commercial air taxi services. Reports indicate that the plane had completed three flights earlier in the day. During the final approach, the pilot attempted to land after the designated visual flight rules window had expired. Following a go-around maneuver on the second landing attempt, the aircraft lost altitude and subsequently crashed, resulting in an explosion witnessed at approximately 18:00 local time.
Investigation
Authorities investigated the circumstances surrounding the crash, initially considering various potential hazards. However, police ruled out the presence of wildlife, specifically white-lipped peccaries, on the runway as a contributing factor. The investigation focused on the operational constraints of the aircraft and the timing of the landing attempts relative to regulatory requirements for visual flight operations.
Findings
The crash resulted in the deaths of all four occupants. Their remains were recovered but were severely damaged by fire. Among the deceased was Kongjian Yu, a renowned Chinese landscape architect and urban planner known for his work on sustainable city concepts. Also killed were Brazilian documentary filmmakers Luiz Fernando Feres da Cunha Ferraz and Rubens Crispim Jr., as well as the pilot and aircraft owner, Marcelo Pereira de Barros.
The incident drew attention from high-profile political figures in Brazil, including President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Vice President Geraldo Alckmin, who acknowledged Yu's contributions to sustainable urbanism and environmental protection. The flight had been limited to four passengers due to the aircraft's maximum capacity, preventing two additional team members from joining the journey.