Brazil formally accuses 16 over deadly 2024 Voepass plane crash

Brazilian federal police have formally accused 16 current and former employees of the airline Voepass in connection with the August 2024 crash that claimed the lives of all 62 people on board. The accusations stem from a two-year investigation into the accident, which occurred outside Sao Paulo.

Investigators detailed several alleged acts of malpractice, omission, and negligence by the airline. Among the accused is Voepass owner and president Jose Luiz Felicio Filho. The police concluded that the aircraft was irregularly cleared for departure into severe icing conditions, despite experiencing de-icing system failures on three prior flights the same day. Federal police investigator Andre Ribeiro described the situation as a "watershed in air crash disasters here."

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This is a watershed in air crash disasters here.

The ATR 72-500 twin-engine turboprop plummeted 13,000 feet into a residential area after departing from Cascavel. The victims included 58 passengers and four crew members. The investigation revealed that the aircraft's data recorders indicated repeated failures or manual cycling of the de-icing system during 136 flights.

Lawyers representing the victims' families have stated their intention to seek damages against all responsible parties, including individuals and companies involved in the operation and ticket sales. The 16 accused individuals have not yet commented on the federal police's findings. Prosecutors will now decide whether to press charges against the accused, who could face up to 12 years in prison if convicted of endangering air traffic safety.

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We will go for everyone who, by action or omission, contributed to this.