VINHEDO — Brazil's federal police formally accused 16 current and former employees of airline Voepass in connection with the August 9, 2024 plane crash. The findings were announced in a press conference after a two-year investigation into the disaster that killed 62 people.

Voepass owner and president José Luiz Felicio Filho was among the 16 people formally accused. The federal police accused 15 Voepass former and present employees of endangering air traffic safety resulting in a fatal disaster. Additional charges against some of the accused include the omission of technical failures from aircraft logbooks. The charge of endangering air traffic safety resulting in a fatal disaster carries a potential prison sentence of up to 12 years.

Federal police investigator André Ribeiro said the aircraft was irregularly cleared for departure into known severe icing conditions despite experiencing de-icing system failures on three prior flights that same day. "This is a watershed in air crash disasters here," Ribeiro said. The federal police concluded that deliberate omissions, improper maintenance practices, and organizational failures directly contributed to sending the aircraft into dangerous weather conditions.

The accident involved an ATR 72-500 twin-engine turboprop en route from Cascavel, Paraná, to Guarulhos international airport. The plane plummeted 13,000 feet into the backyard of a gated condominium in Vinhedo, outside Sao Paulo. The crash killed 58 passengers and four crew members. It was the country’s most deadly air crash since 2007.

Aircraft data recorders showed the de-icing system repeatedly failed or was manually cycled on and off during 136 flights. A Brazilian air force probe confirmed last month that a combination of severe icing conditions, mechanical system failures, and pilot distractions contributed to the crash. André Ribeiro suggested prosecutors should look into new potential accusations against Brazil's government aviation agency ANAC.

Local prosecutors must decide whether to charge the accused at a date to be determined. The 16 people formally accused did not make comments about the federal police move. On March 11, 2025, the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) suspended all Voepass operations due to non-conformities related to the company's management systems provided for in regulations. Brazil's Ministry of Justice and Public Security stated that the decision to suspend Voepass operations was taken after the company failed to correct flaws in its management systems.

The formal accusations mark a significant legal development in the aftermath of Brazil's deadliest air crash in nearly two decades. The charges target senior leadership and operational staff, alleging that systemic failures and deliberate omissions allowed a known defective aircraft to fly into hazardous weather. The potential 12-year prison sentences reflect the severity with which authorities view the alleged breaches of air traffic safety protocols.

The investigation also points to broader regulatory scrutiny, with investigators suggesting possible accusations against the national aviation agency ANAC. This follows the agency's earlier suspension of Voepass operations in March 2025 due to management system non-conformities. The case shows ongoing challenges in aviation oversight within Brazil, an upper middle income economy in Latin America and the Caribbean with its capital in Brasilia.

Why It Matters

The formal accusations mark a significant moment for aviation accountability in Brazil, targeting senior leadership and operational staff with potential 12-year prison sentences. By alleging deliberate omissions of technical failures and improper maintenance practices, the investigation shifts focus from accidental mechanical issues to systemic organizational negligence. This legal development could establish a precedent for holding airline executives criminally liable for fatal disasters resulting from known safety breaches.