Pilot Dies in Flight, Co-Pilot Takes Command and Makes Emergency Landing

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The pilot of a twin-engine King Air C90A plane died on Saturday morning, July 6th, during a flight between Bahia and São Paulo. The co-pilot was forced to take over the aircraft and make an emergency landing at Campo Grande, the state capital of Mato Grosso do Sul.

The aircraft, a King Air C90A, is owned by an agricultural company that owns properties in Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and São Paulo. The pilot, Benedito Fernando Ricci, 59, and the co-pilot, Matheus Pasquotti, were carrying a passenger.

According to Infraero, the flight took off from Barreiras, in far western Bahia, and was headed to Americana, in São Paulo. Midway along the flight, Benedict fell ill and collapsed. Pasquotti took command of the aircraft and, after requesting authorization from Infraero and reporting the incident, made an emergency landing in Campo Grande, at 10:03 AM.

An emergency rescue unit was set up to assist the pilot, including ambulances on the airport runway. However, according to Infraero, when the plane landed, Benedict was already dead. The cause of death has not been reported.

After the incident, Pasquotti published a tribute to his friend on Facebook. In the text, he recollects the five years of flying together, a time of great friendship and joy, and that, in the blink of an eye, during the trip, his friend “left”.

The body was transferred on Saturday night, at around 10 PM, from Campo Grande to Rio Claro, São Paulo, where Benedito lived.