Voepass President indicted in deadly Brazilian plane crash investigation
Brazilian authorities have indicted 16 individuals, including Voepass president and major shareholder José Luiz Felício Filho, in connection with the August 2024 plane crash in Vinhedo that killed 62 people. The Federal Police investigation alleges that the crash was a result of systemic safety failures and a corporate culture that prioritized profit over maintenance.
Investigators identified critical technical issues, specifically the inoperability of the aircraft's de-icing system, which led to severe ice accumulation on the wings. The indictment claims that management was aware of these chronic issues and even encouraged the omission of technical failures in logbooks to avoid grounding aircraft. Felício Filho is accused of being a key figure in this culture of risk.
Two years after the tragedy, the families of the victims continue to fight for justice and accountability. While the airline has maintained that its crew was properly trained, the official reports conclude that the aircraft was dispatched for a route with severe icing conditions for which the ATR 72-500 was not certified.
Entities: ANAC · Brazilian Federal Police · Brazilian Judiciary · Elisabeth Redivo · Flight 2283 · José Luiz Felício Filho · Vinhedo · Voepass · Voepass Airlines
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Federal Police identified José Luiz Felício Filho as having knowledge of chronic system failures (The Federal Police identified José Luiz Felício Filho as having knowledge of chronic system failures)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The company had a culture of omitting logbook entries regarding technical failures (The company had a culture of omitting logbook entries regarding technical failures)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Federal Police indicted 16 individuals, including Voepass President José Luiz Felício Filho and Maintenance Director (The Federal Police indicted 16 individuals, including Voepass President José Luiz Felício Filho and Maintenance Director)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Investigations found the crash was caused by severe ice accumulation and de-icing system failure (Investigations found the crash was caused by severe ice accumulation and de-icing system failure)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The August 2024 crash in Vinhedo, São Paulo, resulted in 62 deaths (The August 2024 crash in Vinhedo, São Paulo, resulted in 62 deaths)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The indictment is for endangering air transport safety (The indictment is for endangering air transport safety)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The ATR 72-500 model used in the crash is not certified to operate in severe icing conditions (The ATR 72-500 model used in the crash is not certified to operate in severe icing conditions)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Anac revoked Voepass's Air Operator Certificate in 2025 (Anac revoked Voepass's Air Operator Certificate in 2025)