Incident Overview
On the day of the accident, a private airplane departed Belém-Val de Cans Airport at 0902 local time, bound for Uberlândia. On board were two passengers and one pilot.
Events Leading to the Crash
Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the pilot contacted air traffic control and reported smoke emanating from the instrument panel. Due to limited visibility caused by the smoke, the pilot decided to return to Belém Airport. Shortly thereafter, control of the aircraft was lost.
Crash Location and Casualties
The airplane crashed into the Acará River near the town of Acará, approximately 65 kilometers southeast of Belém. The aircraft was destroyed in the impact. All three occupants—the pilot and two passengers—were killed.
Occupants
The pilot was identified as Carlos Ribeiro. The passengers were Oscar Thompson Filho, a former Minister of Agriculture, and Mr. Ernst Acklimenhofer.