Amazon cargo jet overruns Miami runway by 1,300 ft, strikes vehicles, kills five

Overview

The Amazon cargo jet that crashed at Miami International Airport (MIA) on Sunday overran the runway by approximately 1,300 feet, striking vehicles both inside and outside the airport boundary and killing multiple people, a federal official confirmed Monday.

The accident killed at least five people and injured at least five others.

NTSB Chair Describes 'Utter Devastation'

Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), described the scene as "utter devastation" during a press briefing Monday.

"There's debris everywhere," she said.

Homendy did not offer details on the cause of the crash.

Investigation Underway

Investigators will remain on site for at least a week. "We will not be determining probable cause while we are on the scene," Homendy said.

Key developments in the investigation:

• Recorders recovered: The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been retrieved and will arrive at NTSB headquarters later Monday for evaluation.
• Next update: Investigators hope to release additional information about the crash on Tuesday.
• Operator relationship: Homendy said investigators will examine the relationship between Amazon and 21 Air LLC, the operator of the aircraft. "We're going to want to see what that relationship is, who does what, what safety provisions might be in any sort of contracts or any sort of policies."

Crash Details

The Boeing 767-300, operated by 21 Air as Prime Air Flight 7598, overran the runway around 2 p.m. Sunday. The flight was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was the third flight for the aircraft that day.

Sequence of events:

1. The aircraft struck a 2021 white Ford Econoline van owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., a contract cleaning company for airlines, which had seven people on board.
2. It then burst through a perimeter fence, hitting a passenger vehicle — a Toyota Corolla Cross — outside the airport.
3. The plane slid through another fence that separated an area where Tesla robotaxis were stationed before stopping.

All fatalities were from the two vehicles struck, the NTSB said.

Airport Impact and Travel Disruptions

Two of the four runways at Miami International Airport remain closed following the incident, according to a notification on the airport's website.

The accident disrupted air travel during a busy holiday travel weekend:

• More than 160 flights were canceled and nearly 325 delayed by late Sunday, according to FlightAware data cited by the Associated Press.
• Travel delays continued into Monday.

"Cancellations continue due to aircraft and flight crews not having arrived," the airport website stated. "Passengers with flights scheduled today should check directly with their airline for flight updates before heading to the airport."

Miami International Airport is the busiest U.S. airport for international freight, according to its website.

Source: CNBC