On August 9, 2024, a plane crash occurred near Sao Paulo, Brazil resulting in the deaths of all 62 people onboard. The Voepass regional airline flight, which was en route from Cascavel, Parana to Sao Paulo suddenly lost altitude and crashed into a residential area in Vinhedo.
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The aircraft, an ATR 72-500 twin-engine turboprop was operated by Voepass, a regional Brazilian airline. The flight was carrying 57 passengers and four crew members.
The plane crashed into a residential area in Vinhedo. The impact resulted in a fiery explosion that engulfed the aircraft.
All 62 people onboard the plane were killed. This included one additional passenger who was confirmed later, bringing the total fatalities from 61 to 62.
There were no casualties on the ground despite the crash occurring in a populated area. No one on the ground was hurt as confirmed by city officials.
According to flight tracking data, the plane began losing altitude shortly before the crash. The aircraft, which had been cruising at 17,000 feet dropped approximately 17,000 feet in just one minute leading to the crash.
Data from Flightradar24 indicates that the plane began losing altitude at around 1:21 p.m. The plane dropped 250 feet in 10 seconds, then climbed 400 feet in eight seconds before descending again.
The last data transmission from the aircraft was recorded at 1:22 p.m. after which the plane spiraled out of control and crashed.
Rescue operations concluded on Saturday with all bodies recovered from the crash site. The victims comprised 34 males and 28 females.
The bodies were transported to a police morgue in São Paulo city for identification. Authorities are relying on documents, mobile phones and the position of bodies relative to seating to assist in the process.
Families of the victims have gathered in São Paulo to assist with identification. Many are staying at a hotel provided by the authorities with blood tests and medical records being used for confirmation.
By the following day, 24 bodies had been recovered from the crash site. The recovery process was painstaking with officials working row by row to retrieve and identify the bodies.
Due to the impact and the fire, the bodies were difficult to identify. Forensic teams are relying on medical documentation provided by the victims’ families to aid in the identification process.
The recovery team began their efforts from the cockpit and gradually moved towards the tail of the plane, where the damage was more severe due to the fire.
The Brazil Air Force’s aviation accident agency, CENIPA is leading the investigation into the crash. Voepass is cooperating fully with the investigation.
The aircraft’s black boxes, which are critical in understanding the cause of the crash, were recovered in working order and have been sent to Brasilia for analysis.
Preliminary information says that the aircraft crew did not communicate any emergency prior to the crash. Voepass CEO Eduardo Busch stated that the crew was competent and that the airline is committed to supporting the investigation fully.
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The crashed aircraft was an ATR 72-500, a twin-engine turboprop manufactured by ATR, a European consortium. The plane was manufactured in 2010 and acquired by Voepass in September 2022.
According to the Brazilian Aeronautical Registry, the aircraft was denied operation for air taxi, though the reasons for this decision are unclear at this time.
Some passengers missed the ill-fated flight. A group of at least 10 passengers were at the wrong gate and were not allowed to board after realizing their mistake.
Brazilian rescue teams, working through challenging conditions including rain and cold, successfully retrieved all bodies from the wreckage by Saturday evening.
The aircraft’s black boxes have been recovered and sent to the Brazilian air force’s analysis laboratory in Brasilia. The investigation is expected to yield results within 30 days.
The Brazilian civil aviation agency has confirmed that the plane was in good operating condition with valid airworthiness certificates.
Reports of severe icing in São Paulo state around the time of the crash have emerged as a possible contributing factor.
Meteorologists from Metsul highlighted the unusual weather conditions that could have affected the plane’s performance.
This is the worst air disaster in Brazil since 2007 when a TAM Express flight crashed at Congonhas airport in São Paulo, killing 199 people.
This crash is the deadliest aviation disaster since January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines ATR 72 crashed in Nepal, killing all 72 on board.
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