Early Reports Suggest Plane Was Fueled With Jet-A

A 2006 Cirrus SR22 G3 Turbo crashed Sunday morning moments after takeoff from Jacarepagua, on the west side of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The four persons onboard were killed when the aircraft, registry PR-IAO (similar to type shown below), impacted the upper floors of a condominium in an upscale neighborhood near Barra da Tijuca.

According to local news reports and information from the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA,) a lineman told authorities he accidentally fueled the aircraft with Jet-A -- apparently thrown off by the "Turbo" emblems on the aircraft -- just prior to the airplane's departure. That information has not been officially confirmed, however.

The aircraft was enroute to Florianopolis, Civil Aviation spokeswoman Sandra Fontella told The Associated Press, and carried a full load of fuel. Witnesses said the aircraft's engine made an 'unusual noise' as it descended, and exploded on impact.

"There was too much fire," witness Michele do Egito told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper. "You couldn't even tell what kind of aircraft had gone down."

Local media identified the pilot as Carlos Frederico Xavier de Tolla. One of the passengers was the owner of the aircraft, a prominent businessman from Santa Catarina Joci Martins.

ANN will continue to update this story as more information becomes available.

FMI: www.infraero.gov.br, www.cirrusdesign.com