The aircraft was able to fly in severe weather conditions, but control was lost when turning to approach Guarulhos
The Voepass plane that crashed in Vinhedo, in the interior of São Paulo, and killed 62 people (58 passengers and 4 crew members) on August 9, 2024, did not make any emergency call. According to the preliminary report of the Cenipa (Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center), released this Friday (September 6, 2024), the pilot lost control of the aircraft when making the approach curve to Guarulhos airport (SP).
Journalists were also informed that there was ice buildup on the plane’s wings, but the document does not say whether there was a malfunction in the de-icing system. The plane’s maintenance was up to date and it was fit to fly in severe flight conditions.
According to the body, linked to FAB (Brazilian Air Force), the exchange of messages between the pilot and the flight controller in the minutes prior to the crash did not indicate an abnormal situation.
There were two moments, in conversations between the pilot and the co-pilot, where comments were made about the condition of the plane’s wings. “A lot of ice”said the co-pilot.
Cenipa did not show the audio from the black boxes to the journalists who participated in the release of the report.
THE FALL
The Voepass pilot requested permission to prepare for landing for the first time at 1:18 p.m., but a flight on a converging route at a lower altitude prevented authorization. The aircraft then continued at an altitude of 5,181 meters.
At 13:20, the pilot received information that the approach would be authorized in 2 minutes, again because of an aircraft on a converging route, but at a lower altitude. However, 1 minute after the communication, at 13:21, the plane started to fall.
The Cenipa report explains how the plane crashed and does not aim to specify who was responsible for the event. The explanation for “why” the accident occurred is still under investigation.
Despite up-to-date maintenance, the Voepass ATR was flying without flight equipment. The agency reported that the absence of this mechanism did not prevent the aircraft from flying under these conditions.
ACCIDENT
The crash of the ATR 72-500 plane is considered the most serious accident in Brazilian commercial aviation since 2007.
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