A small airplane crashed on a busy avenue in the populous Brazilian city of São Paulo. Unfortunately, the airplane’s crash ended with it slamming into a bus and causing injuries in addition to killing the plane’s occupants.

A small plane crashed into a bus on a busy São Paulo street, killing two and injuring six

According to authorities in São Paulo, Brazil, a Beech F90 King Air twin-engine airplane crashed on Marques de Sao Vicente Avenue on the Northwest side of the city. After crashing into the street, the aircraft struck a nearby bus. Consequently, the airplane’s two occupants died in the crash and six other people sustained injuries. 

To add to the tragedy of the plane crash, the aircraft immolated on the ground. As a result, the bodies of the aircraft’s occupants were badly burned before authorities could recover them, per Reuters. Still, the city’s governor commended the actions of first responders to control the situation. 

The news follows the harrowing story of a deadly mid-air collision between a small, regional American Airlines flight and a US Army Blackhawk helicopter over the Potomac River in late January. Tragically, all passengers and crew aboard both the plane and the helicopter perished in the crash. 

Are small airplanes less safe for passengers and people on the ground than larger planes?

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), small aircraft have a much higher fatality rate than larger, commercial airliners. Specifically, small airplanes have a fatality rate of around 2.3 per 100,000 hours in the air, per PCVA Law. In comparison, commercial flights are closer to 0.01 per 100,000 flight hours.

Of all the reasons for small aircraft crashes, pilot error is the most prevalent, accounting for around 75% of incidents. Still, even with a higher fatality rate, your likelihood of death or serious injury in a car is much, much higher than in a small airplane.