São Paulo Plane Crash: 17,000 Feet Drop In 60 Seconds Recorded Before Impact, Shows Flight Tracking Data

A passenger plane carrying 62 people crashed on the outskirts of São Paulo on Friday, with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva stating that it "appears" all on board may have perished. "There is still no confirmation of how the accident occurred or the current situation of the people on board," said the airline Voepass Linhas Aéreas in a statement. The aircraft was en route from Cascavel, Paraná, to São Paulo when the tragedy occurred.

Flight Data Reveals Dramatic Descent

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 reveals that the aircraft began losing altitude a minute and a half before the crash. The plane, which was cruising at 17,000 feet, experienced a sudden drop of approximately 250 feet in 10 seconds at 1:21 p.m. local time (12:21 p.m. ET). It briefly climbed around 400 feet over the next eight seconds before losing just under 2,000 feet in the subsequent eight seconds. The plane then descended rapidly, dropping approximately 17,000 feet within a minute. The last data transmission from the aircraft was recorded at 1:22 p.m. local time (12:22 p.m. ET).

Crash Site and Emergency Response

The plane went down near Vinhedo, Brazil, in a residential area. Despite the severity of the crash, no casualties were reported from the area where the plane landed. Valinhos City Communications Director Ana Cândida Briski confirmed that the death toll remains at 62, all of whom were on board the plane.

In response to the disaster, São Paulo Governor Tarcísio de Freitas has established a crisis cabinet to manage the situation. Multiple agencies are on-site assisting with rescue efforts, according to the São Paulo Government's statement.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing, and more details are expected as authorities continue their efforts at the scene.