A small plane crashed into the sea off Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday during an advertising flight. Firefighters found the pilot's body, who was alone on board, after more than two hours of searches. The submerged aircraft will be removed by a specialized company.
In the early afternoon of this Saturday (27), around 12:30 p.m., a Cessna 170A single-engine plane with registration PT-AGB crashed into the sea near Post 4 of Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro's south zone. The aircraft, owned by Visual Propaganda Aérea, was towing an advertising banner for an optician and had taken off from Jacarepaguá Airport. Witnesses reported a loud bang, similar to an explosion, before the plane nose-dived into the water at low altitude.
Teams from the Rio de Janeiro Military Fire Department, with about 30 personnel, began searches at 12:34 p.m. near Post 3, using jet skis, inflatable boats, divers, drones, and sonar. After just over two hours, around 3 p.m., the pilot's body was located and taken to the 1st Maritime Grouping of Copacabana and then to the Medical Legal Institute (IML) for identification. Authorities confirmed he was alone on board, conducting a commercial advertising flight.
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) stated that Seripa 3 investigators were activated to gather initial information, and the accident's causes are under investigation by Cenipa. The aircraft, manufactured in 1950, had a Certificate of Airworthiness Verification (CVA) valid until January 24, 2026, and was single-seat with a maximum takeoff weight of 998 kg.
The Municipal Secretariat of Public Order said Visual Propaganda Aérea is authorized for aerial advertising but lacked permission for Saturday's campaign, leading to a fine for irregularity. South zone subprefect Bernardo Rubião stated on social media: "We spoke with the company managing this plane. It would be this pilot's first flight on this type of aircraft." The company did not respond to media inquiries.
The incident happened on a hot day with a maximum temperature of 38°C, drawing crowds to the busy beach. Military police remain on site until the submerged aircraft is removed.
