On August 9, 2024, a tragic aviation accident occurred in Brazil when a Voepass ATR-72 passenger plane crashed near the city of Vinhedo, São Paulo, killing all 62 people on board. The aircraft was en route from Cascavel, Paraná, to Guarulhos International Airport in São Paulo when it suddenly lost altitude and crashed in a residential area.
#Breaking Following reports of a Voepass ATR 72 that crashed in Vinhedo (São Paulo, Brazil). No info so far on casualties. Updates when possible. Updates when possible. Source @aero_in pic.twitter.com/LcdGSBfCB9
— Air Safety #OTD by Francisco Cunha (@OnDisasters) August 9, 2024
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The plane involved in the accident was an ATR 72-500 turboprop airliner, registered as PS-VPB. It was manufactured in 2010 and was in good operating condition, with valid registration and airworthiness certificates. The flight, operated by Voepass Linhas Aéreas, was designated as Flight 2Z2283 and carried 58 passengers and 4 crew members. The crash occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time, shortly after the plane lost contact with air traffic control. Witnesses on the ground reported seeing the plane spinning out of control before crashing into several houses in the Capela neighborhood of Vinhedo. The area of the crash was marked by a large amount of fire and smoke.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was at an event in the south of the country when news of the crash broke, declared a moment of silence for those on board. Local firefighters and rescue teams were dispatched to the scene, but it was soon confirmed that there were no survivors. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, with experts examining flight data and the wreckage to determine what went wrong. Initial reports suggest that the plane may have entered a flat spin, a dangerous condition where the aircraft rotates around its vertical axis while descending rapidly.
The incident has raised concerns about the safety of ATR 72 aircraft, which have been involved in several accidents in the past. However, experts caution that it is too early to draw conclusions about the cause of the crash and that a thorough investigation is needed to determine what happened. The tragedy has left the families of the victims devastated, and the Brazilian aviation community in shock. Voepass Linhas Aéreas has expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and has pledged to cooperate fully with the investigation into the crash.