Brazil's federal police have formally accused 16 current and former employees of the airline Voepass in connection with the August 9, 2024, plane crash that killed all 62 people on board. The accusations include alleged malpractice, omission, and negligence by the company.
Voepass owner and president José Luiz Felicio Filho is among those formally accused. Local prosecutors will now decide whether to file charges against him and the other accused individuals. Fifteen employees, both current and former, face accusations of endangering air traffic safety, a charge that could result in prison sentences of up to 12 years. Some also face additional charges for omitting technical failures from aircraft logbooks.
The accident occurred when an ATR 72-500 twin-engine turboprop, en route from Cascavel to Guarulhos International Airport, plummeted approximately 13,000 feet into the backyard of a gated condominium in Vinhedo, outside Sao Paulo. The crash killed 58 passengers and four crew members.
Investigators found that the aircraft’s data recorders indicated its de-icing system repeatedly failed or was manually cycled on and off during 136 flights. Federal police investigator André Ribeiro stated that the aircraft was irregularly cleared for departure into known severe icing conditions, despite experiencing de-icing system failures on three prior flights the same day.
Ribeiro suggested that prosecutors should also investigate potential accusations against Brazil's National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC). A lawyer for the victims' families, Thalles Andrade, announced plans to seek damages against all parties responsible, including individuals and companies involved in the operation and ticket sales.
The federal police announced their findings Thursday following a two-year investigation. The force concluded that deliberate omissions, improper maintenance practices, and organizational failures directly contributed to the aircraft flying into dangerous weather conditions. A Brazilian air force probe last month had previously confirmed that a combination of severe icing conditions, mechanical system failures, and pilot distractions contributed to the crash, which was the country's deadliest air disaster since 2007.