Brazil’s federal police announced formal accusations against 16 current and former employees of Voepass airline related to a deadly aviation disaster that occurred in August 2024. The crash involved an ATR 72-500 aircraft operating between Cascavel in southern Parana state and Guarulhos international airport near Sao Paulo, which descended approximately 13,000 feet and struck a residential area in Vinhedo, resulting in 58 passenger and four crew fatalities.
Voepass owner and president Jose Luiz Felicio Filho was among those formally accused. The remaining 15 accused individuals, both current and former company employees, face allegations of endangering air traffic safety and causing a fatal disaster, with potential prison sentences of up to 12 years. Some defendants also face additional charges related to the omission of technical failures from aircraft maintenance logbooks.
Investigators determined that the aircraft’s de-icing system had experienced repeated failures or manual cycling throughout 136 prior flights. Federal police concluded the plane was irregularly cleared for departure into severe icing conditions despite documented de-icing system malfunctions on three separate occasions that same day. Investigators identified deliberate omissions, improper maintenance practices, and organizational failures as direct contributors to the incident.
The formal accusations followed a two-year investigation by federal police. A Brazilian Air Force probe released last month corroborated findings that a combination of severe icing conditions, mechanical system failures, and pilot distractions contributed to the accident. Local prosecutors must determine whether the accused individuals will face formal charges at a future date. Lawyers representing victims’ families indicated they would pursue damages against all parties determined responsible through action or omission.
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