Tragedy Strikes Paramillo Airport
On 22 October, a routine take-off turned deadly when an aircraft carrying two pilots and 2 crew members crashed in Venezuela’s Paramillo Airport.
The aircraft, a Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I erupted into a massive fireball just moments after take-off, killing two pilots and severely injuring two others.
The small, twin-engine aircraft was used for government logistics reasons. Video footage showed it lifting off the runway, then promptly tilting to one side before crashing nose-first into the ground.
The impact sent flames and thick black smoke billowing over the San Cristóbal skyline.
Caught on Camera: Plane Flips, Then Explodes
A short video circulating on social media captured the horrifying moment. The footage shows the aircraft struggling to gain altitude, flipping midair, and crashing in front of screaming onlookers. Within seconds, the wreckage burst into flames and skidded along the runway as emergency sirens blared in the distance.
Witnesses nearby described hearing a loud blast that “shook the ground.” Firefighters, Táchira Civil Protection, and the Bolivarian National Police rushed to the scene to extinguish the intense flames.
They also helped pull the survivors, badly injured, out of the burning plane.
Victims Identified
Authorities identified the two pilots killed in the crash as Toni (José) Bortone and Juan Maldonado. Both pilots were experienced aviators.
Authorities transported the surviving crew members to a nearby hospital.
Preliminary Probe Points to Tire Failure
Initial accounts from the Venezuelan press suggest that the tire explosion at the moment of takeoff resulted in a loss-of-control situation for the pilot. The National Institute of Civil Aviation (INAC) has set in motion the Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Board to check up on mechanical failures, maintenance records, and runway conditions.
Officials indicate that the inquiry will look into the matters of technical malfunction, human error, or environmental factors as possible causes of the crash.
Questions Over Aviation Safety
The tragedy has renewed scrutiny of aviation safety protocols in Venezuela. The crash comes just weeks after another accident involving a Learjet 55 near Simón Bolívar International Airport, where two passengers were injured after the aircraft lost control amid strong winds.
As the investigation continues, families of the victims and the public await answers — and accountability — for what went wrong in the skies over Táchira.
Watch the video here:
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