Investigators are examining the pilots’ actions as they work to determine what caused the cargo plane crash that killed five people
Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- NTSB investigators shared new details about the plane’s final moments before the crash
- Flight data shows the pilots braked, released the brakes and increased engine power before braking again
- The two pilots survived, and investigators plan to interview them as the probe continues
Investigators have released new details about what happened inside the cockpit moments before an Amazon Air cargo plane overshot a runway at Miami International Airport and crashed into multiple vehicles, killing five people.
National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said during a news conference Tuesday, Sept. 8, that the plane’s cockpit voice recorder contained more than two hours of good-quality audio. Investigators plan to interview the two pilots on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and want to hear their account of the crash before releasing a readout of the cockpit recording.
Data from the plane’s flight data recorder shows that the aircraft touched down before the pilots made several changes to the brakes and engine power during the final seconds of the flight, NTSB investigator Chihoon Shin said during Tuesday’s press conference.
The plane’s nose and right landing gear touched the runway about 30 seconds before the recording ended, while it was traveling at 158 knots (approximately 181 mph). The pilots began braking several seconds later, when the plane was traveling at 146 knots (about 168 mph), according to Shin.
The plane’s left landing gear then touched down as its speed dropped to 134 knots (about 154 mph). A few seconds later, the pilots released the brakes and increased the engine power to a level consistent with attempting a go-around, which would mean stopping the landing and taking off again, Shin said.
About four seconds later, the pilots reduced the engine power and began braking again as the plane traveled at 117 knots (approximately 134 mph). They continued braking until the end of the recording, according to Shin.
In the final seconds, the plane’s movements changed as its speed continued to drop. The aircraft was traveling at 96 knots (about 110 mph) seven seconds before the recording ended, with a final recorded ground speed of 65 knots (around 74 mph).
“No indication in the recorded data that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed,” Shin said.
The crash took place at approximately 1:53 p.m. local time, when the 21 Air LLC Flight 7598 overran Runway 30 during a landing at the South Florida airport, Homendy said at a press conference on Monday, Sept. 7.
Credit: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty
The Boeing 767-33A, which was operated by 21 Air LLC, had been on a return flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it traveled about 1,300 feet past the runway with two crew members on board.
The cargo plane hit navigational equipment before it struck a white Ford Econoline van carrying seven people, Homendy said.
The plane then went through a perimeter fence and collided with a Toyota Corolla Cross on a nearby road before hitting a second fence. In total, the NTSB confirmed that the five victims who died were in the two vehicles hit by the Boeing 767-33A.
The victims have since been identified as Rolando Aleman, 55, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53, Julio C. Pineda, 75, Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53, and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47, Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz announced at a press conference, NBC station WTVJ reported.
The two pilots on board survived the crash, Homendy said Monday. During Tuesday’s briefing, she provided additional details about their experience. The captain, 55, has 7,145 hours of flight experience and received his Boeing 767 type rating in May 2026. The 37-year-old first officer has 2,655 hours of flight experience and received his Boeing 767 type rating in April 2025, according to Homendy.
Video captured by Olvin Henriquez showed a pilot escaping the aircraft after it struck vehicles on the ground.
“Before we knew it, we saw that massive plane engulfed in flames and the road ahead destroyed,” Henriquez told WTVJ. “We were all in shock witnessing such a dramatic event.”
Henriquez shared that he quickly turned his vehicle around and drove away in case the cargo plane exploded.
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“The mere thought that, just moments earlier, my entire family could have been dragged along by the plane — as other vehicles and people unfortunately were — is terrifying,” he told the station.
In separate statements, Amazon and 21Air both shared their condolences for those impacted by the crash and said they were cooperating with the NTSB.
“Our deepest sympathies remain with the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating tragedy,” Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, said in a statement. “Amazon leaders are also meeting with local officials, first responders, and others in the community to offer our support.”
The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the NTSB. Investigators have not yet determined what caused the plane to overrun the runway.
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