The NTSB is investigating what caused the deadly runway overrun as investigators begin examining the crash site and aircraft data
Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- All five people killed in the crash were in vehicles on the ground at the time of the fatal accident, according to the NTSB
- The two pilots aboard the Amazon Air cargo plane survived the crash
- Investigators have recovered the aircraft’s flight data and cockpit voice recorders as they work to determine what happened
All five people killed in the Amazon Air cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport were on the ground, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.
The victims were in two vehicles struck by the aircraft as it overran a runway, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said during a news conference on Sept. 7.
The cargo plane, a Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air that departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was arriving at Miami International Airport with two crew members aboard, Homendy said.
The aircraft was making its third flight of the day, traveling from Cincinnati to Miami, then flying from Miami to San Juan before returning to Miami, according to Homendy.
The plane overran Runway 30 while landing at about 1:53 p.m. ET, striking navigational equipment before hitting a white Ford Econoline van carrying seven people, Homendy said.
The aircraft then traveled through a perimeter fence and struck a Toyota Corolla Cross traveling on a nearby roadway before continuing into a grassy area and hitting another fence line, according to the NTSB.
In total, the aircraft traveled about 1,300 feet beyond the paved surface, Homendy said.
Five people were killed and five others were hospitalized after the crash, Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said during a press conference on Sunday, Sept. 6.
The next day, the NTSB confirmed that all five people who died were in the two vehicles struck by the aircraft. The two pilots, who were aboard the plane, survived the crash, Homendy said.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the scene and arrived to find “an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing,” the fire department said in a statement shared on social media.
Multiple videos of the crash shared by local media show flames and smoke surrounding the cargo plane, which sat nose-down on a patch of grass at the Florida airport in the wake of the incident.
Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty
Grace Mercado, who was in a car with her partner at the time, told CBS station WFOR that she saw the Amazon Air plane overshoot the runway.
“It was extremely loud,” Mercado said. “It wasn’t anything that I’ve ever heard before. It was like a shake. Honestly, I can’t compare it to anything else.”
“The plane was up in smoke,” Mercado added. “It was just, it was like something from a movie. It was crazy.”
Homendy said investigators have recovered both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the aircraft and are in the process of evaluating them.
“I want to pause for a moment before I continue on and talk about the investigation, and extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy,” Homendy said.
The NTSB said it currently has a team of 32 people working at the crash site.
Homendy said the NTSB will not determine probable cause while investigators are at the crash site. Instead, they will focus on documenting the scene and collecting evidence, with the team expected to remain there for at least a week.
The chairwoman also asked anyone with relevant photos, videos or other information from the crash to submit them to the NTSB.
Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” an Amazon spokesperson said after the tragedy. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”
“The airplane, which was operated by 21 Air, was attempting to land when this incident occurred. We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to learn more and will cooperate fully with any investigation,” the spokesperson added.
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Keith Winters, CEO of 21 Air, said his company was devastated by what happened.
“Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” Winters said in a statement posted to 21 Air’s website. “Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available.”
“We are cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and local authorities. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation,” Winters continued.
The cause of the Miami crash has not yet been determined, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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