Amazon cargo jet crash at Miami airport kills five after runway overrun

Federal investigators are preparing to examine the Amazon cargo jet crash after the aircraft overran a runway at Miami International Airport and hit vehicles. The probe will focus on the landing, weather, safety systems and maintenance record as officials assess how the disaster claimed five lives and injured five others.Image used for representational purposes onlyFederal investigators are set to outline how they will examine the Amazon cargo jet crash at Miami International Airport after the aircraft ran off a runway, hit vehicles and caught fire, killing at least five people and injuring five others. The plane had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and went past the runway around 2 pm on Sunday.Officials said five people were killed, three were critically injured and two others were hospitalised with less serious injuries. It was not immediately clear whether the pilots survived or whether all those killed were in vehicles when the aircraft struck them.The crash sent thick black smoke into the sky and trapped the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit, while some people in cars were also trapped, Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said. The agency added that crews also had to pull out a person who was trapped under a vehicle. The National Transportation Safety Board said its chairwoman, Jennifer Homendy, would hold a news conference on Monday.Experts said investigators are likely to examine whether the aircraft flew too far before touching down. The usual landing zone is within the first 3,000 feet, or 914 metres, of a runway. Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said that if the plane touched down beyond that area, the pilots should have aborted the landing and gone around for another attempt. Mary Schiavo, a pilot and former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, said video posted online appeared to show the Amazon plane floating above the runway for an extended period without flaring the nose upward to force the main landing gear onto the ground. It was not raining at the time, but dark storm clouds were in the area and strong winds were reported. Schiavo said a tail wind could have made the plane float further down the runway. She said, "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."Miami airport does not have arresting systems, which the FAA says have been installed at more than 120 airports across the US to safely stop planes that go past the end of a runway. The FAA says these beds of lightweight, crushable material have helped save at least 497 lives on planes that overran runways. The crash also disrupted operations at the airport for much of the afternoon. The fire department said around 200 emergency personnel responded and found the plane amid heavy flames and smoke from an engine compartment fire. Firefighters used foam from specialised airport units to put out the blaze, and crews were still dealing with a fuel leak hours later. Images showed the Prime Air plane had come to rest beside a road near two semitrucks. The aircraft appeared to be resting on its belly and was largely intact despite the fire. The flight was operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina-based cargo carrier. According to Flightradar24, the 32-year-old Boeing 767 was built as a passenger aircraft, flew for several airlines for more than two decades and was converted into a cargo plane in 2015. Schiavo said the NTSB would also closely examine the aircraft's maintenance record, especially as it had previously been owned by foreign companies, including a Russian firm.By late Sunday, more than 160 flights had been cancelled and nearly 325 delayed, according to FlightAware. Officials at Orlando International Airport, more than 200 miles, or 320 km, north of Miami, said some flights were diverted there. Amazon said it would cooperate with the investigation. The company said, "We're heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today's incident at Miami International Airport. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss." Last year, a UPS plane crashed after losing its engine while accelerating down the runway at Louisville's Muhammad Ali International Airport, killing all three pilots and 12 people on the ground, while injuring 23 others.Investigators are now expected to focus on the aircraft's landing, weather conditions, runway safety features and maintenance history as they work to determine what caused the Miami crash that left at least five people dead, five injured and caused major disruption at the airport.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 7, 2026 15:02 IST