✓ verbatim from the press
Your illegal air taxi may be flying right now — and Anac may not know where it is. One of the helicopters that collided in Rio on Sunday morning (14th), killing six people, had been under investigation by the National Civil Aviation Agency since 2025 following a complaint of illegal air transport, but was never located in on-site inspections. Aircraft PP-MAC was placed on the monitoring list after the complaint and fined for refusing to provide information to the agency, but between 2025 and 2026 Anac inspected 43 aircraft at nine Rio aerodromes without finding it once. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"Especificamente quanto à aeronave PP-MAC, em decorrência de processo de apuração, em 2025, após denúncia de transporte aéreo clandestino, além da autuação por recusa de informações à Anac e, em continuidade à apuração da denúncia, a aeronave foi incluída na lista de monitoramento da unidade de fiscalização, presencialmente"
"Em 2025 e 2026, a Anac fiscalizou 43 aeronaves e 47 tripulantes em nove aeródromos da cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Nessas fiscalizações, a aeronave prefixo PP-MAC não foi localizada."
The investigation into the complaint was still ongoing at the time of the collision, with no definitive conclusion about the irregularities, according to O Globo. Anac reported that the complaint alleged PP-MAC was conducting illegal air taxi service at Jacarepaguá Airport in Rio's Southwest Zone, and recommended that both the aircraft and the aerodrome be included in the on-site inspection plan for in-person verification. ✓
Press quotes (1)
"Na denúncia recebida pela Anac no ano passado, foi afirmado que a aeronave PP-MAC estaria realizando serviço de táxi aéreo clandestino no Aeroporto de Jacarepaguá, na Zona Sudoeste do Rio. [...] Além disso, ao concluir a apuração, a Anac recomendou que a aeronave e o Aeroporto de Jacarepaguá (SBJR) fossem incluídos no plano de fiscalização in loco, para que as denúncias pudessem ser verificadas presencialmente."
The two aircraft collided near Avenida das Américas, at Recreio dos Bandeirantes, in Rio's southwest zone, at 8:59 AM on Sunday. They fell into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, causing a fire that affected at least 20 vehicles. All six people on board died: pilot Charles Marsillac, who was flying alone in one aircraft, and in the other helicopter pilot Alexandre Souza, music producer Lucas Brito Chaves, Argentine influencer Gaspar Prim (Gaspi), music video director Lucas Vignale, and American singer Nickel Oliver Tree, 32, nicknamed "King of Hyperpop." ✓
Press quotes (2)
"Os dois helicópteros colidiram e caíram nos arredores da Avenida das Américas, altura do Recreio dos Bandeirantes, na zona sudoeste do Rio de Janeiro, na manhã deste domingo 14. As seis pessoas que estavam nas aeronaves morreram."
"O Corpo de Bombeiros Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro foi acionado às 8h59. Segundo os bombeiros, as aeronaves caíram no estacionamento de uma concessionária de carros elétricos provocando um incêndio que atingiu pelo menos 20 veículos."
The Civil Police are investigating the crash, forensics have been completed, and agents await the report from the Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa), linked to the Air Force Command. Cenipa's preliminary report has not yet been published: access attempt to the FAB website returned error 403 (access denied), and search in the Official Gazette for Cenipa accident reports returned no results. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"A Polícia Civil investiga o choque das aeronaves. A perícia foi realizada e agentes aguardam o laudo do Centro de Investigação e Prevenção de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (Cenipa), ligado ao Comando da Aeronáutica."
"O CENIPA recebeu a notificação do acidente às 13h37 e acionou imediatamente os investigadores do Quarto Serviço Regional de Investigação e Prevenção de..."
Helicopter PP-MAC was under Anac investigation since 2025 following a complaint of illegal air transport and was fined for refusing to provide information to the agency.
The accident occurred on Sunday morning, June 14, 2026, near Avenida das Américas, at Recreio dos Bandeirantes, in Rio's southwest zone, resulting in six deaths.
Between 2025 and 2026, Anac inspected 43 aircraft and 47 crew members at nine Rio de Janeiro aerodromes, but did not locate PP-MAC in any of these on-site inspections.
The aircraft fell into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, causing a fire that affected at least 20 vehicles. The Fire Department was called at 8:59 AM.
The Civil Police are investigating the crash and await a report from Cenipa (Aeronautical Accidents Investigation and Prevention Center), linked to the Air Force Command.
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (1)
The complaint received by Anac in 2025 alleged that PP-MAC was conducting illegal air taxi service at Jacarepaguá Airport, and the agency recommended that both the aircraft and the aerodrome be included in the on-site inspection plan.
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What was the technical cause of the collision between the two helicopters?
Why it's still unknown: Cenipa's preliminary report has not yet been published. Access attempt to the FAB website returned error 403, and search in the Official Gazette for Cenipa accident reports returned no results.
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Was PP-MAC actually conducting illegal transport at the time of the accident?
Why it's still unknown: Anac's investigation into the 2025 complaint was still ongoing at the time of the collision, with no definitive conclusion about the irregularities.
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Why did Anac fail to locate PP-MAC in any of the on-site inspections conducted between 2025 and 2026, despite the aircraft being on the monitoring list?
Why it's still unknown: Sources report that the aircraft was placed on the monitoring list and that 43 aircraft were inspected at nine Rio aerodromes, but do not explain why PP-MAC specifically was not found.
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Were there registered flight plans for both aircraft at the time of the collision?
Why it's still unknown: None of the consulted sources reported whether the aircraft had approved or registered flight plans.
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What were the route and destination of PP-MAC's flight at the time of the accident?
Why it's still unknown: Sources did not report the origin, destination, or purpose of the flight the aircraft was conducting.