# Small aircraft crash in Minas Gerais, Brazil

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/small-aircraft-crash-in-minas-gerais-brazil
> Updated: 2026-08-26T22:30:10.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2.

A small aircraft, identified as a Cirrus SR22, crashed in a wooded area in the Serra Azul district of Mateus Leme, Minas Gerais, following a malfunction and a partial explosion during a flight from Belo Horizonte to Bom Despacho.

The 29-year-old pilot, Gustavo Couto, survived the incident by using the aircraft’s Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). Witnesses reported seeing the plane descending under the parachute while trailing thick smoke before the wreckage was consumed by fire. Bystanders assisted the pilot, who was treated at a hospital in Belo Horizonte for smoke inhalation and minor injuries.

The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has launched an investigation through the Third Regional Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Service to determine the technical cause of the engine failure and subsequent fire.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-26: Pilot survives aircraft fire in Brazil using emergency parachute

A pilot survived after his Cirrus SR22 caught fire in mid-air over Brazil. The aircraft's whole-airframe parachute system successfully deployed, allowing the pilot to escape with only minor injuries.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pilot-survives-aircraft-fire-in-brazil-using-emergency-parachute

### 2026-08-24: Brazil Air Force investigates small aircraft crash in Minas Gerais

The Brazilian Air Force is investigating a small aircraft crash in Mateus Leme, Minas Gerais, after pilot Gustavo Couto survived by using a parachute following a mid-flight malfunction.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/brazil-air-force-investigates-small-aircraft-crash-in-minas-gerais

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Cite as: Small aircraft crash in Minas Gerais, Brazil. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/small-aircraft-crash-in-minas-gerais-brazil