GG News Bureau
Sao Paulo, 10th August. A regional turboprop aircraft crashed into a residential neighborhood near Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, killing all 61 people on board. The incident occurred when the ATR-72, operated by regional carrier Voepass, went down shortly after taking off from Cascavel, Parana, at approximately 1:30 p.m. local time (1630 GMT). The plane was en route to Sao Paulo’s international airport when it crashed in Vinhedo, a town roughly 80 kilometers (50 miles) northwest of the city.
Eyewitnesses reported that the aircraft was seen spinning uncontrollably before it fell and exploded. Video footage shared on social media depicted the plane descending in a horizontal spiral behind a cluster of trees, followed by a large plume of black smoke. Resident Daniel de Lima, who witnessed the crash, described seeing the plane in a horizontal spiral and then watching it plummet to the ground.
City officials in Valinhos, near Vinhedo, confirmed that a home in the local condominium complex was damaged when the plane crashed into its backyard. Fortunately, no injuries were reported among the residents. “I almost believe the pilot tried to avoid a nearby neighborhood, which is densely populated,” de Lima suggested.
The unusual final circling motion of the plane before impact has spurred speculation among aviation experts. Some have suggested that ice accumulation or engine failure might have contributed to the crash, but investigations are still ongoing. Voepass Chief Operations Officer Marcel Moura indicated that while ice was predicted at the plane’s altitude, it was within acceptable limits, and the de-icing system was reportedly operational.
Celso Faria de Souza, a Brazilian aviation engineer and crash investigator, proposed that ice buildup could have led to a stall and the subsequent spin. Historical incidents involving ATR-72s, including crashes in Indiana in 1994 and Norway in 2016, were linked to ice accumulation, though in the latter case, the pilot managed to regain control.
The plane’s “black box,” which contains crucial voice and flight data recordings, has been recovered from the crash site. U.S. aviation safety expert Anthony Brickhouse suggested that a significant event likely preceded the loss of control. Flightradar data indicated notable speed fluctuations before the crash, leading former commercial pilot John Cox to believe a catastrophic event may have occurred.
Marcelo Moreno, head of the Brazilian aviation accident investigation center Cenipa, stated that initial reports did not show any distress communication from the aircraft to air traffic control. Voepass initially reported 62 people on board but later corrected the number to 57 passengers and four crew members. All were identified as Brazilian citizens, including a group of doctors traveling to a seminar, according to Governor Ratinho Junior.
ATR, the Franco-Italian manufacturer of the plane, confirmed that its specialists are working closely with the investigation team. The engine on the plane, a PW 127, was produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada, which has also offered its assistance.
The crash is Brazil’s deadliest aviation accident since 2007, when 199 people died in a collision involving a TAM flight, which later merged with LAN to form LATAM Airlines. The investigation into Friday’s crash continues, with participation from French, Canadian, and European safety regulators.
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