SAO PAULO, Brazil – Federal police have accused 16 current and former employees of regional airline Voepass in connection with the August 2024 plane crash that killed all 62 people aboard, alleging that maintenance failures, organizational shortcomings and negligence contributed to one of the country’s deadliest aviation disasters in nearly two decades.
The findings conclude a two-year federal investigation into the Aug. 9, 2024 crash near Vinhedo, in São Paulo state. Prosecutors will now determine whether to file formal criminal charges against those accused. The case is expected to have significant implications for aviation safety oversight and corporate accountability within Brazil’s commercial aviation sector.
Investigation Points to Maintenance and Safety Failures
Among those named by federal police is Voepass owner and president José Luiz Felicio Filho.
Investigators accused the 16 current and former employees of endangering air traffic safety resulting in a fatal disaster, an offense that carries a potential prison sentence of up to 12 years under Brazilian law. Some individuals also face allegations of failing to properly record known technical defects in aircraft maintenance logbooks.
Federal police said their investigation found that maintenance deficiencies, organizational failures and deliberate omissions allowed the aircraft to continue operating despite known technical issues and adverse weather conditions.
Aircraft Departed Despite Known De-Icing Problems
The ATR 72-500 twin-engine turboprop was operating Flight 2283 from Cascavel, in Paraná state, to São Paulo’s Guarulhos International Airport when it lost control and crashed into the backyard of a residential condominium in Vinhedo.
All 58 passengers and four crew members were killed.
Federal police investigator André Ribeiro said the aircraft was cleared for departure despite severe icing conditions after experiencing problems with its de-icing system during three previous flights earlier that same day.
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Investigators also found that flight data indicated the aircraft’s de-icing system either malfunctioned or was manually switched on and off during 136 flights before the accident.
Ribeiro described the investigation as “a watershed in air crash disasters” in Brazil and said prosecutors should also consider whether Brazil’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) bears any responsibility for regulatory oversight.
Families Continue Seeking Accountability
None of the 16 individuals identified by federal police publicly commented following the announcement.
Thalles Andrade, an attorney representing relatives of the victims, said the families intend to pursue legal action against all parties found to have contributed to the disaster.
“We will go for everyone who, by action or omission, contributed to this,” Andrade said, adding that civil claims would seek damages from individuals and companies involved in the aircraft’s operation and ticket sales.
Earlier Investigation Identified Multiple Contributing Factors
The federal police findings build on conclusions released last month by Brazil’s Air Force accident investigation authority.
That investigation determined the crash resulted from a combination of severe icing conditions, mechanical failures involving the aircraft’s de-icing system and cockpit factors that distracted the flight crew during the emergency.
The Air Force investigation was conducted to determine the causes of the accident and improve aviation safety, while the federal police inquiry focused on whether criminal negligence contributed to the disaster.
Local prosecutors will now review the federal police findings before deciding whether to pursue criminal charges against those accused.
If charges are filed, the case would mark the next stage in Brazil’s legal response to its deadliest commercial aviation disaster since 2007.
This report is based on reporting by The Associated Press.
