On December 22, a Piper PA-42 Cheyenne aircraft crashed in Gramada, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The crash resulted in the death of the pilot and all nine passengers onboard. Additionally, 17 people on the ground were injured due to fires caused by the crash. The aircraft attempted to take off from Canela Airport but collided with structures near the airport.
The plane departed around 09:00 local time and was headed to Jundiaí, Brazil. Shortly after takeoff, it collided with a house chimney before crashing into a store and hotel. The collision caused a fire that spread through the hotel as first responders arrived.
Governor Eduardo Leite addressed the incident at a news conference: "I deeply regret the accident and highlight the immediate action of the security forces in attending to and rescuing the victims and controlling the scene of the accident. Now we need to officially identify the victims and investigate the conditions of the accident. The Air Force is investigating the causes of the accident and the federal government is at disposal of state government and local authorities to clarify situation as soon as possible."