A disturbing video preceding a recent plane crash in Brazil has surfaced online. The footage shows a father permitting his 11-year-old son to operate his private plane while consuming alcohol. This tragic event led to a fatal crash that claimed the lives of the 42-year-old Brazilian rancher, Garon Maia, and his son, Francisco Maia. The crash occurred when their twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 58, valued at $1.2 million, crashed in a forested area between the states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso on July 29. Tragically, Garon’s wife, Ms. Ana Pridonik, reportedly took her own life shortly after the burial on August 1.
The video footage depicts Garon consuming beer as he allows his underage son to take control of the private aircraft. He can be heard giving instructions to his son on how to fly the plane and explaining its controls. Following their departure from a dirt runway, the father comments, “Wait, everything ready? Nothing in front, ok. Come on, 600 horses, you can push. 600 Kikão, go.”
He continues, “Good lady. Hand on the lever, hand on the lever. Keep your hand there and look at the speed.” Shortly after, he opens a beer and asks, “The passenger can have one, right Kiko?”
According to reports, Garon took off from a family farm in the Rondônia city of Nova Conquista, stopping at Vilhena airport to refuel. His intention was to fly his son back to Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, where he lives with his mother and attends school.
Unfortunately, the plane met a tragic end. It took off at 5:50 pm, crashed just eight minutes later, and disappeared from radar detection, as confirmed by official accounts. After an extensive search, rescue teams discovered the bodies on July 30. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Research Center for the Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents.
While it’s unclear whether Garon filmed the beer-drinking incident, his choice to entrust his unlicensed, underage son with piloting the plane ultimately resulted in the loss of three lives.
