A disturbing video shows the moment a father let his 11 year-old son pilot his private plane – while he swigged beer – shortly before the two were killed in a crash.
Authorities in Brazil are now investigating whether the incident took place before they were killed in the deadly plunge.
Garon Maia, 42, a Brazilian rancher and his Francisco Maia, 11, died after the twin-engine Beechcraft Baron 58, priced at $1.2 million, crashed in a forest located between the states of Rondônia and Mato Grosso on July 29.
It’s unclear when the video in question was posted by Garon Maia on his social media.
He can be seen sitting in the copilot seat and instructing Francisco Maia on how to operate the plane as it sped down the dirt runway.
‘Wait, everything ready? Nothing in front, ok. Come on, 600 horses, you can push. 600 Kikão, go,’ he says. ‘Good lady. Hand on the lever, hand on the lever. Keep your hand there and look at the speed.’
Moments later, Garon Maia is seen drinking a beer and asks his son, ‘The passenger can have one, right Kiko?’
The elder Maia flew out of a family farm in the Rondônia city of Nova Conquista and then stopped at an airport in Vilhena to refuel, a farm employee told Brazilian outlet G1.
He was planning to fly his son back to Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, where he lives with his mother and attends school.
The aircraft took off at 5:50 pm, crashed eight minutes later and then disappeared from the radar, according to authorities.
Rescue workers searched the area Saturday and were able to locate the bodies Sunday.
Overcome with grief, Ana Pridonik, his wife took her own life following the burial.
