Brazil’s federal police have formally accused 16 current and former Voepass employees, including owner and president José Luiz Felício Filho, over the August 2024 ATR 72 crash in Vinhedo, São Paulo state, that killed 62 people. Investigators allege repeated de-icing failures, omitted maintenance problems and a safety culture that favoured keeping aircraft flying rather than grounding them for repairs.
The aircraft had departed Guarulhos for Cascavel when it went down on 9 August 2024. The case now carries criminal exposure for senior Voepass figures and intensifies scrutiny of maintenance oversight at the regional carrier, as well as the role of Brazil’s civil aviation authority, ANAC.
Previous technical findings pointed to a combination of severe icing, de-icing system failure and crew or procedural issues. Recent reporting also indicates ANAC had been aware of related problems before the accident, although that point stems from investigative coverage rather than a formal agency statement. The police findings leave the legal outcome pending, but the episode is likely to shape how Brazilian operators document defects and how regulators monitor fleet reliability on ATR 72-500 aircraft.