Voepass Forced to Close Its Doors After a Deadly Crash and Inspection Lapses

Brazil-based regional airline Voepass has been permanently terminated by the country’s National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) following a 2024 plane crash that left 62 people dead. Increased oversight after the accident shed light on 20 aircraft inspections that had not been complied with.

Voepass, formerly known as Passaredo, entered the industry in August 2019. Based at Dr. Leite Lopes State Airport (RAO), the carrier operated a fleet of 7 aircraft. These included one ATR 42 and six ATR 72 jets, both of which are short-haul regional airliners.

The August 2024 crash near Sao Paulo was the breaking point. The plane, operating in icing conditions, went down with no survivors. Investigators found that the crew had reported ice buildup and that Voepass had failed to act on known safety issues. This triggered ANAC to place the airline under heightened monitoring, where the situation only continued to darken.

Between August 2024 and March 2025, the airline apparently skipped inspections on seven different aircraft. In May, ANAC tried to shut down the airline’s operations, but was blocked by Voepass filing an appeal. The case went up to the full board of directors at the agency, who ultimately concluded the company simply could not guarantee safe operations.

Voepass had tried to comply by reducing routes, hiring new managers, and making maintenance changes. None of it stuck. After repeated failures in safety audits, ANAC has revoked the airline’s license permanently.

The fallout was swift. Voepass filed for bankruptcy, citing more than 209 million reais (about $37 million USD) in debt. Hundreds of employees were left without jobs, and dozens of small towns in Brazil suddenly found themselves without regular air service. This especially applies to remote airports, where Voepass was often the only carrier flying in.

FMI: www.gov.br/anac/en