Misfortune in the residential area - Brazil plane crash: experts continue to search for cause
After the crash of a passenger plane in which 62 people lost their lives, investigators are analyzing the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder. Both devices – the so-called "black box" – were opened, as seen in a video from the Center for the Investigation and Prevention of Air Accidents (Cenipa). The orange devices are expected to provide insight into the cause of the tragedy near the Brazilian metropolis of São Paulo. They were taken to the Cenipa lab in the capital, Brasília, for data analysis, as reported.
Now, flight-related activities, the operating environment, and human factors are being investigated, along with a study of the components and systems, as reported by the local news portal "G1". Within 30 days, Cenipa aims to present an interim report on the crash.
Clarification of the cause of the plane crash in Brazil within 30 days
The aircraft, operated by Voepass, a turboprop passenger plane of the ATR 72 type, crashed into a residential area of the town of Vinhedo on Friday afternoon while approaching São Paulo from Cascavel in the state of Paraná. All 58 passengers and four crew members died, with no injuries reported on the ground. Data from the platform "Flightradar 24" suggests that the aircraft dropped nearly 4,000 meters in less than a minute. Video footage showed the plane spinning in the air before crashing into the grounds of a residential building and exploding.**
By Saturday evening, approximately 30 hours after the accident, all bodies had been recovered, according to the fire department. Among the victims were a father and his three-year-old daughter who were traveling together to celebrate Father's Day, which is celebrated in Brazil on Sunday, as well as doctors, businesspeople, and professors, according to a "G1" report.
Warnings of severe weather and icing at the crash site
According to the Cenipa director, both environmental and technical factors, as well as possible human error, are being investigated. Meteorological reports around the time of the accident suggest turbulence, thunderstorms, and icing in the area, according to "Flightradar 24". Experts are considering the possibility of ice forming on the wings, which could turn the plane into "a stone without lift," as reported by the Brazilian news portal UOL. There was a warning of icing at the crash site. Voepass CEO Eduardo Busch also did not rule out the possibility of ice accumulation on the wings. However, he noted that the pilots were experienced and the aircraft was operational at the time of takeoff. Other experts suggest that multiple factors may have contributed to the crash.**
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva declared a three-day national mourning period. The accident is reportedly one of the deadliest in Brazilian aviation history. In 2007, a TAM Airlines plane overshot the runway at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo and crashed into a gas station, killing 199 people.
In memory, many also recall the crash of November 28, 2016, when the plane of the Brazilian football club Chapecoense, en route to Medellín for the Copa Sudamericana final, crashed in Colombia. At that time, 71 people lost their lives, including virtually all the players, as well as coaches, staff, and accompanying journalists. Six passengers survived.
The aircraft involved in Friday's incident was a turboprop passenger plane of the type ATR 72, operated by the Franco-Italian consortium Avions de Transport Régional. In January 2023, an ATR 72-500 bound for Pokhara airport in Nepal crashed, killing all 72 on board, including four crew members.
The passenger aircraft that suffered a tragic crash was an ATR 72, operated by Voepass. Investigators are examining the possible role of icing conditions in the incident, as meteorological reports suggest turbulence, thunderstorms, and warnings of ice formation around the time of the crash.
