A tragic incident unfolded as a flight bound for Guarulhos Airport in São Paulo crashed after the pilot lost control, with his final distressing words captured on the aircraft’s black box. The flight, operated by Voepass, was en route from Cascavel, Brazil, to Guarulhos Airport when it tragically went down in Vinhedo last August. Initially, the airline could not confirm the number of occupants, but later disclosed that the ATR 72-500 flight was carrying 58 passengers and four crew members, all of whom perished in the crash.
The recovered black box unveiled the pilot’s chilling last communication. As the plane descended, the co-pilot queried the situation, emphasizing the need to stabilize the aircraft, according to reports from the Express. Moments before the fatal impact, a sudden and steep altitude drop was observed, leading to the catastrophic crash captured in circulating social media footage.
Reports from TV Globo’s Jornal Nacional indicated that screams from the ground were audible just before the crash, recorded in the black box audio. Despite this, the analysis did not detect any engine failure or abnormal activity preceding the tragedy, leaving unanswered questions. The small town witnessed chaos as the plane approached, culminating in a fiery crash site that damaged a home but fortunately caused no ground casualties.
Eyewitnesses like Felipe Magalhaes and Nathalie Cicari recounted the horrifying sights and sounds they experienced as the plane spiraled to the ground. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed condolences to the victims’ families and observed a moment of silence, while São Paulo’s state governor, Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas, declared a three-day mourning period.
ATR, in an August 2024 statement, acknowledged being informed of the ATR 72-500 accident, extending support for the investigation and affected individuals. The tragic event prompted unity and reflection among officials and communities, emphasizing the need for safety and solidarity in the face of such disasters.