Helicopter control in Rio: fatal collision reignites debate on urban air safety and flight standards
A tragic plane crash in Rio de Janeiro last Sunday (14/06) captured the attention of the international media. The incident not only gained prominence due to the presence of well-known figures among the victims, such as the American musician Oliver Tree, but also due to the rarity of collisions of this type in aviation.
The incident, which involved a mid-air collision and was witnessed by members of the public, generated complex questions for experts about how two aircraft could occupy the same trajectory in the airspace of Brazil’s second largest metropolis.
The fatality resulted in the death of all six people on board both aircraft. In one of the helicopters were Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, music producer Lucas Frota, Argentine director Lucas Vignale and pilot Alexandre Souza. The second helicopter was occupied only by the pilot, Charles Marsillac.
For João Paulo Eguea, professor of aeronautical engineering at the University of São Paulo (USP) in São Carlos, the investigations carried out by the Center for Research and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents (Cenipa) are essential to elucidate a series of factors that, combined, culminated in the accident.
He highlights the exceptional nature of this type of incident: “It is important to highlight that this [collision in the air between helicopters] is a very rare thing to happen. We have no history”, says the professor.
Raul Marinho, director of the Brazilian General Aviation Association (ABAG), emphasizes that the core of the investigation is to understand how and why one or both helicopters deviated from the so-called “virtual avenues” in the air.
According to Marinho, the possibility of one aircraft having invaded the other’s route or both being in an unauthorized location are scenarios that need to be investigated.
To delve deeper into the causes of what happened, it is essential to understand how helicopter flight control works.
How helicopters perform most of their flights
Predominantly, most helicopters do not operate under the mode known as “instrument flight”, where control is based on onboard equipment and air traffic guidance, without depending on external visibility.
The most common flight regime for these aircraft is “visual”, where the pilot’s freedom in defining routes is great, and the prevention of collisions with other aircraft occurs through direct observation. In other words, the pilot navigates primarily by looking outside the cockpit.
The comparison with driving a car is useful to illustrate the dynamics: “It’s the same thing as a car. You see the car on the highway, slow down, swerve. If you’re going to turn, see if there’s someone on your side. But in the air, in addition to the dimension from one side to the other, there’s up and down”, he explains.
Eguea, from USP, adds that this flying approach is not restricted to helicopters, being a standard adopted even in the aviation of smaller aircraft, such as training aircraft, present in flying clubs.
However, operating based on visibility does not mean a total absence of regulation. First, if weather conditions compromise visibility along the route, visual flight is prohibited by aviation rules.
Additionally, in urban regions with high traffic, air routes are pre-established, with specific heights for the outward journey and another for the return journey.
According to Marinho, these routes have landmarks marked along their route. If a pilot is at point “A” and heading towards point “B”, he needs to make warnings via the aircraft’s radio.
It details that pilots sharing the same airspace are required to keep the radio frequency tuned. “The other pilot listens and has situational awareness of what is happening in that environment,” explains Marinho.
Eguea adds that, even with the heavy reliance on visual observation, the operation is not intrinsically unsafe.
The professor argues that, although there is no such direct navigation control, security is guaranteed, being a “very safe, highly regulated system, there are these routes and the possibility of communication”.
In the metropolis of São Paulo, recognized for having one of the largest volumes of global helicopter air traffic, there is an additional level of control, according to Marinho. The aircraft maintain contact with air controllers who communicate the traffic situation in the urban area of the capital of São Paulo, although the flight continues to operate under visual regime.
Globally, the occurrence of helicopter flights controlled exclusively by instruments is considered rare, experts say.
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The difficulty of instrument control at low altitudes, where helicopters generally operate, is a determining factor. Furthermore, most pilots do not have certification to fly in this modality.
Instrument flight represents a more complex modality, requiring a higher altitude and greater separation between aircraft.
In Rio de Janeiro, a notable exception is travel to offshore oil platforms, where aircraft need to reach higher altitudes and operate in a more controlled manner.
However, the absence of direct air traffic control does not imply that helicopters are undetectable by radar.
In urban centers with a high volume of air traffic, such as Rio de Janeiro, mandatory use of the transponder is a requirement. This is electronic equipment that automatically responds to signals sent by traffic control radars and transmits information from the aircraft.
On aircraft equipped with a cabin collision avoidance system, known as TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System), transponder data is processed to identify other nearby aircraft and avoid collisions. The system emits audible alerts and suggests automatic detours.
However, smaller helicopters, such as those involved in the recent collision, are not required to carry TCAS. The absence of this equipment highlights the dependence on the pilot’s visual surveillance for safety. This incident, therefore, may reopen the debate on whether collision avoidance systems are mandatory for light aircraft in congested urban airspaces, seeking to strengthen safety and public confidence in private aviation.
According to Marinho, from ABAG, making the use of TCAS compulsory could work as a preventive measure, but he is unaware of “any place that requires its use”.
The Brazilian Air Force (FAB), the body responsible for the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa), was asked by BBC News Brasil whether the aircraft normally emitted tracking signals with transponders.
However, until the release of this article, the report had not received any feedback. The FAB also did not inform whether the aircraft were in contact with any air traffic control agency at the time of the accident.
Anac will investigate the possible occurrence of illegal air transport
The National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) informed BBC News Brasil, in a statement this Monday (15/6), that it will begin an investigation to verify whether the helicopter carrying four passengers, in addition to the pilot, was carrying out a clandestine service.
According to the regulatory agency, the two aircraft involved were in compliance to operate in “private aviation mode”, that is, for the exclusive use of the owner and his guests, “and cannot be remunerated or financially compensated by third parties”.
“To operate in this [paid] segment, the pilot and the aircraft must be associated with a duly certified air taxi company”, points out Anac.
The report asked Anac about a previous investigation, which took place in 2025, of a complaint that the PP-MAC aircraft, involved in the accident, was already carrying out clandestine transport.
At the time, the owner of the helicopter refused to present books, accounting documents, information or statistics to inspection agents, resulting in a fine of R$8,000.
According to Anac, the helicopter was included in a monitoring list of inspection teams, which visited Rio’s airfields, “but the PP-MAC aircraft was not found”.
Anac, however, emphasized that “it is premature to establish any link between the type of flight and the accident.”
The recommendation, before contracting air taxi services, is to check whether the company has authorization to operate and whether the aircraft are in good standing, a query that can be carried out via the Voe Seguro platform.
