Amazon stops working with cargo carrier after deadly Miami plane crash

Amazon decided not to work any longer with 21 Air after one of its cargo planes overshot a runway at Miami International Airport, causing a crash that killed five people last weekend.The e-commerce company’s suspension of its relationship with the cargo carrier came amid the National Transportation Safety Board’s investigation into the cause of the plane crash.“After the tragic incident last weekend, we’ve spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we’ve decided to pause our operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598,” Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said in a statement. “We’ll continue working to support the investigation and everyone affected.” 21 Air, which had flown packages for Amazon since 2024, said it’s cooperating with the investigation while defending its safety protocols. The North Carolina company specializes in cargo flights between the United States and Mexico.“We remain focused on supporting the families and loved ones who were impacted by this accident, as well as working closely with the NTSB and all our partners, like Amazon, as the investigation continues,” 21 Air said in its own statement. “We are confident in our safety policies, procedures and training.”The crash occurred on Sept. 6 when the Boeing 767 cargo plane struck two vehicles on the ground while trying to land in Miami. Five people were killed, and five others were injured.The aircraft was traveling too fast as it approached the runway. NTSB said one of the pilots told his counterpart as much before the incident. The cockpit voice recording shows they tried aborting the landing moments before disaster.In its last investigative update on the case, the NTSB released a detailed summary of events that led to the runway excursion. It appears the speed brakes or thrust reversers were not deployed, according to the independent agency.NTSB CHIEF DETAILS ‘UTTER DEVASTATION’ IN DEADLY AMAZON AIR CRASH AT MIAMI AIRPORTThe official cause of the crash remains under investigation, but preliminary findings suggest excessive landing speed factored into the crash. The Boeing 767 touched down at 181 miles per hour, about 25 miles per hour higher than the normal landing speed for an aircraft of that size.The plane was arriving in Miami from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on its third flight of the day. It traveled earlier from Cincinnati to Miami and from Miami to San Juan.