Amazon Cargo Plane Crash in Miami Kills at Least Five
At least five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft overran a runway and crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday, September 6, authorities said. Three of the injured were reported to be in critical condition.
The aircraft was Prime Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operated by cargo carrier 21 Air on behalf of Amazon. It had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and overran a runway shortly before 2 p.m. local time.
After leaving the runway, the aircraft crossed a nearby road and struck several vehicles before catching fire. Emergency crews found a highly complex scene, with people trapped inside vehicles and the pilot and co-pilot trapped in the aircraft. More than 60 fire-rescue units were deployed.
Authorities have not yet established whether the people who died were aboard the aircraft or were on the ground when the plane struck the vehicles. Officials said identification of the victims was still pending.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation into the crash. Investigators are examining the aircraft’s landing, runway conditions and other factors, including whether the plane touched down too far along the runway and whether weather or wind conditions played a role. The cause remains unknown.
The 32-year-old Boeing 767 had originally been built as a passenger aircraft before being converted to a freighter. Investigators will examine its maintenance history, flight data and cockpit information as part of the investigation.
The crash temporarily triggered a ground stop at Miami International Airport, causing widespread disruption. More than 160 flights were reportedly canceled and around 325 delayed before airport operations resumed.
Amazon expressed condolences to those affected and said it was working closely with local authorities and investigators. The company and Boeing have pledged to cooperate fully with the investigation.
The investigation is now focused on determining exactly why the aircraft failed to stop within the runway area and what factors contributed to the deadly accident. Further findings from the NTSB are expected as investigators examine the wreckage and flight data.
