The president of the Brazilian Association of Helicopter Pilots (Abraphe), commander Thales Pereira, considers it unlikely that a mechanical failure caused the collision between the two helicopters that left at least six dead this Sunday morning (14), in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, West Zone of Rio de Janeiro.
In an interview with Jovem Pan News, the expert highlighted that there is still not enough information to determine the causes of the accident and that it will be necessary to wait for the work of investigators from the Center for Research and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Cenipa), through the Third Regional Service for the Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Seripa III).
“We don’t know what happened, we don’t know what the circumstances were. We will have to wait for the investigations,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of a breakdown in one of the aircraft, Pereira assessed that this hypothesis does not appear, at this moment, to be the most likely.
“Most likely there was, at a certain point, something that restricted visibility or a difference in altitude or heading. This will have to be investigated, but it is very unlikely that there was a failure,” he said.
According to the commander, the large volume of air traffic in certain regions requires constant attention and rigorous coordination on the part of pilots and control bodies.
“What can happen is the large volume of traffic and the need for very careful attention and coordination on the part of the crew,” he stated.
Aircraft have a history of reliability
During the interview, Pereira also commented on the models involved in the incident. According to him, one of the aircraft was an Esquilo helicopter and the other was a Bell 206 Jet Ranger.
According to the president of Abraphe, both models are widely used in aviation and have an established safety record.
“They are extremely safe and reliable aircraft,” he stated.
The expert highlighted that the Esquilo model is used by security forces, rescue teams and military organizations, while the Jet Ranger remains in operation in different civil aviation activities.
Investigation underway
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) reported that investigators from Seripa III were called to carry out the Initial Action of the incident, a stage that includes collecting and confirming data, preserving evidence and gathering information necessary for the investigation.
According to preliminary information, the helicopters collided in the air before crashing in an area close to Avenida das Américas. The accident also caused a fire that affected around 20 vehicles.
The circumstances of the collision remain unknown and will be clarified throughout the investigation carried out by the aeronautical authorities.
