A light aircraft crashed during take-off at Venezuela's Paramillo Airport in the state of Tachira on Wednesday, killing two crew members. The twin-engine Piper PA-31T1 (registration YV 1443) failed to climb as it attempted departure around 09:52 a.m. local time, stalled shortly after liftoff and crashed into the runway, bursting into flames.
The National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC) confirmed that emergency and firefighting teams responded immediately and activated the Junta Investigadora de Accidentes de Aviacion Civil (JIAAC) to probe the incident in line with Venezuelan regulation.
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Initial footage shows the aircraft briefly gaining altitude before losing control and crashing. Preliminary sources suggest a possible tyre burst during take-off, though investigations are still underway.
Videos circulating on social media captured thick smoke rising from the airport runway. According to flight-tracking site Flightradar24, the jet had flown within Venezuela and also made recent trips to Panama and Cuba.
