The flight instructor and trainee pilot of the Cessna that landed on a crowded beach near Lisbon, appeared in court on Thursday over the violent deaths of José Lima, 56, and Sofia António, aged just 8.
The two men refused to speak to reporters as they arrived at the court in Almada for questioning by a prosecutor.
The pilot and the instructor may now be charged following this formal interview. The media is going for ‘negligent homicide’, which carries a prison sentence of up to 16 years.
Terrified beachgoers scattered as the plane landed on São João da Caparica beach on Wednesday after reportedly experiencing mechanical trouble.
The plane hit an eight-year-old girl and a 56-year-old man, killing them instantly. "The plane first hit the man, who had his back to it. Immediately after it rose up and when it descended again the wheel hit the child's head," said eye-witness, Filipe Janeira.
The girl was at the beach with her parents and was on her way to take a swim when she was hit.
Beachgoers surrounded the plane after it came to a halt on the sand, angrily confronting the two men who were unhurt and were led away from the Cessna by police.
The father of the girl who was killed said the pilot seemed to be in control of the plane as it was flying in a straight line despite appearing to have a broken wing, "In my opinion that individual wanted to land the plane without any concern for everyone else," he told TVi.
The instructor sent a Mayday-Mayday-Mayday emergency alert to the control tower, stating that his aircraft had suffered engine failure and that he was going to make an emergency landing.
The control tower asked which beach, and the instructor named a beach close to São João da Caparica which normally attracts fewer people. The pilot then landed on the busy tourist beach, with fatal consequences.
