Brazil charges 16 Voepass employees over 2024 ATR crash that killed 62, citing plane cleared for flight despite airworthiness failures
Brazil's Federal Police formally charged 16 current and former employees of airline Voepass on August 6 for the August 2024 crash of an ATR turboprop near Vinhedo, São Paulo state, that killed all 62 people on board; Agência Brasil reported the police found the aircraft was not fit to fly but the company cleared it for departure anyway; the charges follow a two-year investigation and CENIPA's final accident report
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Summary
Brazil's Federal Police formally charged 16 current and former Voepass employees on August 6, two years after an ATR turboprop operated by the regional airline crashed near Vinhedo, São Paulo state, killing all 62 people on board. Agência Brasil cited the police finding that the aircraft was not airworthy but Voepass cleared it for departure. Al Jazeera reported an official saying the plane was "irregularly cleared." Aviacionline, citing CENIPA's final investigation report, described systemic negligence covering maintenance failures including de-icing omissions. Those charged include executives, pilots and mechanics.
Why it matters
The charges come after two years of investigation into a crash that was Brazil's deadliest aviation accident in more than a decade. Criminal accountability for airline executives and maintenance staff is rare in Latin American aviation history. The outcome of the prosecution will set a precedent for how Brazil's judicial system handles corporate negligence in safety-critical industries.
What to watch
- Whether the charges lead to criminal convictions or are contested by defendants as insufficient evidence
- ANAC and CENIPA regulatory actions beyond the criminal case, including changes to Voepass's operating certificate
- Any civil damages proceedings by families of the 62 victims