A preliminary report on the tragic Voepass flight crash in Brazil has uncovered alarming details from the plane's black box recordings.
According to Daily Mail Online, pilots reported issues with the aircraft's de-icing system just minutes before the plane spiraled to the ground, resulting in the deaths of all 62 people on board.
The Brazilian Air Force's Center for Research and Prevention of Aeronautical Accidents revealed that the black box recorded a pilot mentioning "a lot of icing" two minutes before the crash. The incident occurred on August 9, 2024, when Voepass Flight 2283 went down in Vinhedo, São Paulo.
Lieutenant Colonel Pablo Fróes, speaking at a press conference, stated that the crew members were discussing failures in the de-icing system. The black box indicated that the system, crucial for preventing ice buildup on the wings, was turning on and off repeatedly during the flight.
Weather reports for the day predicted ice formation in the area where the aircraft was flying. However, investigators stopped short of definitively stating that the reported failure caused the crash.
Carlos Baldin, head of the investigation division, expressed puzzlement over the incident, saying:
There are still many doubts. This accident shouldn't have happened, not in the conditions in which the plane was flying and was being operated. It had protection equipment.
The ill-fated flight took off from Cascavel Regional Airport at 11:46 a.m., bound for São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport. According to aviation flight-tracking company Flightradar 24, the turboprop airplane made a sharp turn and descended about 13,123 feet in less than two minutes.
The plane reached an altitude of 16,404 feet at 12:23 pm and began to descend at 1:21 pm. It was flying at a decreased altitude of 4,101 feet at 1:22 pm before it plummeted to the ground.
Eyewitness footage showed the plane spinning in the sky before crashing into the backyard of a residence, claiming the lives of 58 passengers and four crew members.
The preliminary report comes in the wake of revelations that the same aircraft had a non-functioning de-icing system a year before the tragedy. A photo from July 2023 showed the plane's de-icing system labeled as "inoperative."
Voepass Airlines has stated that it agrees with the report's findings that the aircraft and pilots were properly certified and that required systems were operational. The airline has committed to continuing its cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
Baldin added that investigators are not operating under a deadline to release the full report. The investigation team is carefully examining all aspects of the incident to determine the exact cause of the crash.
The tragic Voepass flight crash has raised serious questions about aircraft maintenance and safety protocols. As investigators delve deeper into the incident, their findings may lead to significant changes in aviation safety measures. The focus on the de-icing system failure highlights the critical importance of this equipment in ensuring safe flights, especially in challenging weather conditions. The aviation industry and regulatory bodies will likely scrutinize these findings closely to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
