A helicopter fell onto a residential building in Carapicuiba, Sao Paulo, on 2 April killing the pilot and the three passengers on board, the local Fire Brigade reported.

The accident took place around 5.20pm local time as the helicopter fell onto the roof of the house, almost completely destroying the building′s structure, before falling onto the ground.

According to the Residents' Association at the Fazendinha Condominium, no-one was present inside the building at the time of the crash.

The aircraft, a Eurocopter model EC155 with the registration PPLLS, held a valid airworthiness certificate and its yearly maintenance certificate was up to date.

According to the aviation company, Seripatri, the aircraft was four years old and had approximately 600 hours of flying time.

The company said that the pilot had 30 years of flying experience and was aboard the plane with mechanics also employed by Seripatri.

No footage of the time of the crash has yet appeared in reports, and the circumstances of the accident are under investigation.