THIS is the jaw-dropping moment a plane crashes into a restaurant and explodes into a fire ball in a tragedy that left four people dead.
Shocking footage shows the aircraft swoop directly into the building before blasting into flames.
The dramatic accident occurred just after 10.30am local time on Friday as the Piper Malibu descended on approach to Capao da Canoa Airport in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.
The restaurant in a built-up residential area was still closed at the time, otherwise the death toll could have been far higher.
Astonishing video of the crash showed a man on foot appearing to run for his life as he saw the plane spiral down.
Another couple can be seen sprinting away from the scene as they too came close to being hit.
Firefighters confirmed the pilot is among the victims as well as three other people, including a couple, who were aboard the light aircraft.
There were no immediate reports of any casualties on the ground.
Other footage from the scene showed flames leaping from the top of the building as a black plume of smoke rises high into the air.
Local reports said the aircraft collided with a pole near the end of the runway before crashing. It had come from Sao Paulo.
Locals living in houses near to the restaurant were evacuated to safety.
Rio Grande do Sul state governor Eduardo Leite said on X: “I have been following, since the very first moments, together with the security forces, the full mobilisation in responding to the incident involving the crash of a small aircraft in Capao da Canoa, unfortunately with confirmed fatalities.
“The accident area has already been evacuated by Civil Defence.”
The horror plane crash occurred less than 24 hours after four people died when a light aircraft smashed nose-first into a field near an industrial estate close to the city of Puebla in central Mexico.
According to local cops, the single-engine aircraft had taken off from Hermanos Serdán International Airport and was heading to Poza Rica when disaster struck.
Horrified witnesses said they saw the plane lose control before it plummeted into fields near an industrial park in Santa Ana Xalmimilulco.
Emergency crews, including police, firefighters and National Guard troops, rushed to the crash site as investigators began probing the cause.
All four passengers were killed in the tragedy.
One victim was initially pulled from the wreckage alive, but later died from their injuries.
The dead have been named as Paulo Antonio Vélez V., Marcos Omar Martínez Tavera, Ramsés Olin Zaragoza Burgos and Emilio Gil Ramírez.
Early reports suggest the aircraft was a Cessna 172 – a common four-seater plane often used for training flights.
Officials have yet to confirm what caused the crash, but early indications point to a possible mechanical failure shortly after take-off.
An investigation is now underway.
