A twin-engine turboprop ATR 72-500, operated by the VoePass airline, descended abruptly and crashed into a residential area in Vinhedo, São Paulo state, Brazil, on August 9, 2024. All 62 passengers aboard the aircraft, which was traveling from Cascavel, Paraná to Guarulhos International Airport, lost their lives. The impact sparked a massive fire in the Capela neighborhood.
Although initially reported as carrying 61 passengers, the airline later revised this figure to 62 after identifying an unrecorded individual. The crash occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time, and while the plane’s fuselage was destroyed, there were no reported casualties on the ground.
Local resident Ana Lucia, who lives near the crash site, recounted her fear that the plane might crash into their property, expressing relief that no local residents were injured.
The Brazilian Air Force has recovered the aircraft’s black box, which will be instrumental in determining the cause of the accident. Preliminary reports suggest that severe icing conditions may have played a part in the crash. Aviation expert Arthur Rosenberg posited that engine failure or stalling could be factors, noting, “The sound tells me there was something wrong with one or both engines.”
French specialists from the civil aviation authority have joined the investigation to aid in the black box data analysis and identify other potential causes. The ATR 72-500, typically used for short-haul flights, has a history of incidents related to severe icing, a point of particular interest in the ongoing investigation.
Governor Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas of São Paulo has declared a three-day mourning period for the victims, and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva requested a minute’s silence at an event in southern Brazil to honor those who died.
All 62 victims, consisting of 34 males and 28 females, have been recovered by rescue teams. Through the use of medical and dental records, forensic experts have begun the identification process. Among the first identified were the pilot, Danilo Santos Romano, 35, and the co-pilot, Humberto de Campos Alencar e Silva, 61.
In a twist of fate, passenger Adriano Assis narrowly avoided the tragedy due to confusion with his airline booking. Initially believing he was booked on a LATAM Airlines flight, Assis arrived late at the correct gate and was denied boarding. After learning of the crash, he returned to the airport to express his gratitude to the gate agent, recognizing that the misunderstanding had saved his life.
Among the passengers were a father and his three-year-old daughter, as well as several doctors traveling to a seminar, two of whom were oncology residents at a cancer hospital.
With the deadliest incident involving the ATR 72-500 model since January 2023, when a Yeti Airlines plane of the same model crashed in Nepal, killing 72 people, this crash has heightened concerns about the safety of the ATR 72-500, particularly in extreme icing conditions.
An exhaustive investigation is underway by Brazilian officials to unravel the circumstances surrounding the crash. A final report, anticipated to bring clarity to the victims’ families and the public, is expected to be released within the next 30 days.
