A pilot had a tragic three-word question as the plane he was flying plunged from the sky, killing all 62 people onboard.
The doomed ATR-72 turboprop, bound for Sao Paulo from Cascavel, crashed on August 9, 2024, in the town of Vinhedo after it was seen spiraling out of control and emitting black smoke before slamming into trees and sending a plume into the air, per the Mirror.
The black box revealed the tragic final moments in the cockpit between pilot Danilo Santos Romano and co-pilot Humberto de Campos Alencar e Silva, with Humberto asking the devastating question: “What’s going on?” before stating the aircraft needed “more power,” according to local TV station Globo.
Brazil’s aviation accident investigation center, Cenipa, did not comment on the transcript report.
The final moments were caught on camera by horrified onlookers as the plane dropped terrifyingly close to a home, though miraculously, no one on the ground was injured.
Initially, Voepass reported 57 passengers and four crew were on board, but the airline later confirmed an additional unaccounted-for passenger was on the flight, raising the death toll to 62.
The passenger, Constantino Thé Maia, had not been listed on the manifest due to a “technical issue,” according to Globo TV News.
The youngest victim was three-year-old Liz Ibba dos Santos, who was traveling with her father, 41-year-old Rafael Fernando dos Santos, for Brazilian Father’s Day.
Also among the dead were Josgleidys Gonzalez, 29, her four-year-old son Joslan, her mother Maria Gladys Parra, and their six-month-old dog Luna.
Four professors from Unioeste University and eight cancer doctors were also on board, heading to a conference in Sao Paulo.
Eduardo Baptistella of the Regional Medical Council said: “Unfortunately we received very sad news and were able to confirm the death of eight doctors. The doctors were going to an oncology conference. These were people who dedicated their lives to saving others.”
Among the victims were radiologist Leonel Ferreira, pediatric cancer expert Sarah Stella, and Silvia Osaki.
The Cascavel Cancer Hospital, where two of the doctors, Arianne Albuquerque Estavan Risso and Mariana Comiran Belim, worked, released a statement saying they “treated all patients with great dedication, affection, and respect.”
“It is no wonder that the two were frequently praised by our ombudsman offices. The love that they both had for their profession was very clear. Now, all that is left for us is the longing and memories of two young doctors who left us too soon,” the hospital said.
Risso’s cousin, Stephany Albuquerque, said: “She wasn’t the kind of doctor who would the tell the patient, ‘this is your illness, take this.’ No, Arianne took care of people. ... She would give out her personal phone number to patients.”
Willian Rodrigo Feistler, a general practitioner and close friend of Belim, said: “Mariana was serene with a melancholic temperament, but very intelligent, empathetic and devoted to her profession. She dedicated much of her life to studies and medical training.”
Brazil's Federal Council of Medicine described the loss as leaving “Brazil’s medical world in mourning,” expressing solidarity with friends and families.
The pilot, Captain Danilo Santos Romano, 35, had logged over 4,500 flight hours and was described by colleagues as “always smiling” and “willing to help.” Co-pilot Humberto, 61, and flight attendants Débora Soper Avila, 29, and Rubia Silva de Lima, 41, also lost their lives.
Brazil’s air force reported the aircraft stopped responding to calls at 1:21PM, with radar contact lost at 1:22PM It had not issued a distress signal or reported adverse weather, though weather forecasters noted reports of severe icing in the region at the time of the crash.
Brazilian aviation engineer and crash investigator Celso Faria de Souza believes ice likely caused the accident, noting ATR-72 aircraft have a history of ice-related issues, including a 1994 crash in Indiana that killed 68 and a 2016 near-crash in Norway.
Voepass CEO Eduardo Busch stated: “The entire crew was competent. We are waiting for access to all communications between the pilot and the control tower to have a broader understanding of what happened.”
São Paulo Public Security Secretary Guilherme Derrite confirmed the plane’s black box was recovered for analysis to determine why the plane plummeted over 13,000 feet in just one minute.
Meanwhile, stories of those who narrowly missed the flight have emerged, including Adriano Assis, who arrived too late at the counter after finishing a hospital shift, saying: “I wouldn’t be here if I hadn’t missed it.”
Officials used seat assignments, physical characteristics, documents, and belongings such as cell phones to identify the victims, while the morgue requested relatives provide dental, X-ray, and medical records to aid in the difficult process.
Authorities have confirmed all 62 on board perished in one of the deadliest aviation tragedies Brazil has faced, leaving behind shattered families and colleagues, and a healthcare community mourning the loss of doctors who dedicated their lives to saving others.