Key takeaways:
- The Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air overran a Miami runway after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, killing five people and injuring five others.
- Authorities said several victims were trapped inside or under vehicles, and more than 200 firefighters and emergency personnel responded after the plane burst into flames.
- The NTSB is investigating the cause; flight data cited by the BBC showed the plane was traveling 112 knots as it exited the usable runway.
Federal investigators are examining why an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, crossed a road and struck multiple vehicles, killing five people and seriously injuring five others.
The Boeing 767-300, operated by the North Carolina-based charter company 21 Air, crashed just before 2 p.m. after arriving from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Authorities have not identified those who died or the injured, and they have not said whether the fatalities were aboard the aircraft, on the ground or both.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said rescue crews reached the scene within “seconds” of the crash. “At least five people have lost their lives, and five others are injured,” she said at a news conference Sunday evening.
Miami Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said three of the injured were in critical condition. Several people were trapped inside or under vehicles on the ground and had to be freed by rescue crews. The Guardian reported that the pilot and copilot were trapped in the cockpit, and that crews also had to extricate a person trapped under a vehicle. Jadallah described the response as a “very complex situation” involving multiple vehicles.
More than 200 firefighters and emergency personnel responded after the aircraft burst into flames. Video footage cited by The Guardian showed the jet wobbling slightly, landing far along the runway and then overrunning the end, where the right undercarriage collapsed and a wing caught fire. Thick dark smoke rose from the scene after the plane came to rest near a parking lot used by an Amazon warehouse and other businesses.
The National Transportation Safety Board is leading the investigation and said Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy would hold a news conference Monday. The Federal Aviation Administration temporarily grounded all flights at the airport after the crash. The incident disrupted travel during the Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods in the United States.
FlightRadar24 data cited by the BBC showed the aircraft was traveling at 112 knots — about 129 mph, or 207 km/h — as it exited the “useable runway.” The tracking site said light thunderstorms and gusting winds were present in Miami at the time.
Aviation experts quoted by The Guardian and the Associated Press focused on whether the aircraft touched down within the runway’s designated landing zone. Typically, that zone is within the first 3,000 feet of a runway. Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said that if the plane landed beyond that area, it normally should have aborted the landing and tried again. Mary Schiavo, a pilot and former Transportation Department inspector general, said online video appeared to show the plane floating above the runway for an extended period. “A tail wind would certainly add to your troubles if you’ve already given up a good chunk of the runway by not touching down and landing right away,” she said.
Officials said it is too early to determine the cause.
21 Air said it was “devastated by the accident involving one of our aircraft in Miami” and was cooperating with investigators. “Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” Chief Executive Keith Winters said. “Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available.”
Amazon also said it would cooperate. “We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” spokesperson Kelly Nantel said. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”
The crash led to long lines and delays at Miami International. The Guardian, citing FlightAware, reported that more than 160 flights had been canceled and nearly 325 delayed by late Sunday. Flights later resumed, though two runways remained out of service Monday morning, The Guardian reported.
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