One year after the Voepass plane crash, families await conclusions and compensation.
Compensation lawsuits run parallel to the judicial reorganization process.
247 - Exactly one year ago, on August 9, 2024, Voepass Linhas Aéreas flight 2283 crashed in Vinhedo, in the interior of São Paulo, killing all 62 occupants. The ATR-72 aircraft, which was flying from Cascavel (PR) to Guarulhos (SP), was recorded on video by residents as it plummeted in a "flat spin," a virtually unrecoverable movement for aircraft of that size. This information comes from... UOL.
Since then, families of the victims have been pursuing legal action to secure compensation, while federal agencies are advancing in their investigations. The final report from Cenipa (Center for Investigation and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents), scheduled to be released next Wednesday (13), may confirm or rule out the hypotheses raised in the preliminary investigation, released in September 2024.
The last flight
The aircraft, registration PS-VPB and manufactured in 2010, took off from Cascavel at 11:58 AM with 58 passengers and four crew members, all qualified and experienced on the model. A few minutes after takeoff, the electronic ice detector on the left wing was activated, leading to the activation of the de-icing system. The alert was repeated several times during the cruise, and the crew even experienced malfunctions in this system.
In the final minutes, critical messages appeared on the panel — “Cruise Speed Low,” “Degraded Performance,” and “Increase Speed.” With the drop in speed and strong vibration, the aircraft entered a stall and then a flat spin that culminated in the collision at 13:22 PM in a residential area. There was no fire before impact.
Preliminary report
The Cenipa investigation pointed to two main factors: severe ice formation and loss of control in flight. Among the findings, the following stand out:
- Failures and repeated activations of the anti-freeze system;
- Weather conditions favorable to the formation of heavy ice;
- Slow messaging speeds and compromised performance;
- procedures adopted that did not prevent the loss of support;
- A qualified crew capable of operating the service;
- One air conditioning unit was inoperative, as specified in the minimum equipment list.
Cenipa emphasizes that its goal is not to point fingers, but to identify causes in order to prevent future tragedies.
Impact on the company
Founded in 1995 as Passaredo, Voepass primarily operated regional flights with ATR aircraft. The PS-VPB was incorporated into the fleet in 2022. After the accident, the company faced a financial crisis exacerbated by the suspension of its Air Operator Certificate by ANAC (Brazilian Civil Aviation Agency) in March 2025. Without flights, it filed for bankruptcy protection the following month, attributing part of the difficulties to the termination of its codeshare agreement with Latam, which accounted for more than 90% of its revenue.
Next Steps
The compensation lawsuits are running parallel to the judicial reorganization process. Industry experts believe the case could lead to changes in severe ice operating manuals, pilot training, and the reliability of the ATR-72's anti-icing systems.
A year later, the tragedy of flight 2283 continues to serve as a warning for Brazilian regional aviation, marked by lessons that are still being learned and by the pain of the families who await justice.
