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Contact photographer João Henrique
What: Amazonaves EMB-810C Seneca PT-EFS en route from Manaus to Santarem
Where: Manaus
When: April 21, 2011, 14:52 LT
Who: 7 fatalities and a dog called Pimpolho
Why: A minute after takeoff, an Amazonaves Air taxi which crashed at the threshold of the runway in the neighborhood of Tarumãt West Zone at 3 pm on Thursday had the owner, and his wife and son among those aboard. Antonio Neto Picão, his wife, Luciana, and a son, Matthew, 12 died in the crash and were buried in Boa Vista. Two daughters chose not to fly.
The four other fatalities were Pilot Waldeir Alencar da Silva,, Kelly Cidrônio, Janilça Oliveira Nascimento and Magno Souza. Santos was buried in Manaus, Alves in Minas Gerais and the two other passengers in Santarém. Janilsa and Magno Nascimento Souza were employees.
The cause of the crash has not been determined but Infraero confirmed that the plane was carrying 7 people, but only has a capacity for 5.
Serviço de Investigação de Acidentes Aeronáuticos (Seripa) expects a report in 30 days.
In 2002, an Amazonaves plane crashed in the Amazon;
In 2003, an Amazonaves crashed during a flight inspection;
In 2007, an Amazonaves crashed into a house in Manaus.
All of the crashes were determined to be due to mechanical failure.
The two engines and propellers of the Amazonaves Seneca (PT-EFS) will be sent to Sao Paulo where they will undergo deconstruction to be examined for signs of defect.
The older 737’s which ruptured their five-foot tops (at the lap joints) are just a drop in the proverbial bucket. Or, if you will, the canary in the cave. Because they are a sign of what is to come, if Boeing, and in fact ALL plane makers, don’t step up the inspection guidelines for metal fatigue in 15 year old planes. The FAA is mandating initial and repetitive electromagnetic inspections “to detect cracking in a specific part of the aircraft that cannot be spotted with visual inspection.” The FAA Emergency Airworthiness Directive 
