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The National Transportation Safety Board said a Boeing 767-300 freighter operated by 21 Air for Amazon overran Runway 30 shortly after 2 p.m. and traveled approximately 1,300 feet beyond the paved surface before striking vehicles on an adjacent road. All five fatalities occurred in a contract cleaning company van and a passenger car hit by the aircraft, while the two crew members aboard the jet survived the initial impact but remained trapped inside the wreckage for a time, according to Miami-Dade fire officials cited by Reuters. The crash prompted an immediate shutdown of all runways at one of the busiest U.S. airports, though some operations resumed by Sunday evening.
National Transportation Safety Board Chair Jennifer Homendy described the crash scene as devastating with debris scattered across a wide area during a Monday briefing that also confirmed recovery of both recorders. The devices were being transported to NTSB headquarters in Washington for download and analysis, with initial speed data from other sources still requiring confirmation against the flight data recorder, Homendy added. Investigators numbering 32 at the site have made victim recovery their top priority, delaying full access to the aircraft because of remaining fuel and ongoing emergency work.
The aircraft, a 32-year-old jet that previously flew passengers from 1994 until its 2015 conversion to freighter configuration, had completed two earlier legs that day from Cincinnati to Miami and then Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to Flightradar24 tracking data reported by Reuters. It was traveling at 112 knots when it departed the usable runway surface, the flight tracking service indicated. The National Transportation Safety Board has not released details on weather conditions or aircraft systems performance pending further review of the recorders and other evidence.
Amazon said in a statement that it was working closely with authorities while grieving the loss of life on the ground and offering support to affected families. The company confirmed the flight formed part of its Prime Air network but declined to comment on operational specifics until the investigation advances. A separate Reuters dispatch noted that the relationship between Amazon and contractor 21 Air will form one element of the NTSB inquiry alongside factors such as the runway’s engineered materials arrestor system.
Earlier cargo accidents involving Amazon partners have drawn intense scrutiny from the National Transportation Safety Board, including a 2019 Boeing 767 crash near Houston where recorders similarly revealed crew communications consistent with loss of control. That earlier probe examined 17 prior flights stored on the data recorder, highlighting the value of such devices in reconstructing sequences across multiple legs. The Miami case marks another instance in which the agency has moved quickly to secure recorders from a jet operating in high-volume commercial service.
Homendy told reporters that the agency would avoid assigning probable cause while still on scene and instead focus on gathering verified information for release as early as Tuesday. The probe will also examine the aircraft maintenance history, crew qualifications and any relevant air traffic control communications, according to outlines provided in the NTSB briefing. Miami International Airport officials have cooperated with the federal team while managing resumed operations around the closed section of runway.
