5 Dead, 5 Injured As Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 Overruns Runway And Catches Fire At Miami Airport
Washington/Miami, September 7: At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran the runway and crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, officials said. Three of the injured are in critical condition.
The aircraft was Prime Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operated for Amazon by North Carolina-based cargo carrier 21 Air, which had departed from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane overran the airport’s diagonal runway 30 shortly before 2 p.m. EDT [1800 GMT] and struck several vehicles on the ground, including two semi-trucks, before coming to rest beside a roadway and catching fire. Flightradar24 data showed the 32-year-old freighter was travelling at 112 knots [129 mph / 207 kmph] when it exited the usable runway. The jet, originally built as a passenger aircraft in 1994, flew for several airlines for over two decades before being converted to a freighter in 2015.
Miami-Dade Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said five people were injured, including three critical. At least two people were trapped inside vehicles hit by the aircraft, while the pilot and co-pilot remained trapped inside the wreckage. More than 60 rescue units and about 200 emergency personnel responded to the crash. Crews were still dealing with an active fuel leak and an engine compartment fire late Sunday afternoon.
Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said, “Tonight the entire community is in prayer and mourning with the families who lost loved ones.”
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said, “We are devastated by the accident. Our absolute priority is the safety, well-being and care of everyone involved. We are working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened.”
21 Air CEO Keith Winters said, “We are devastated by the accident involving one of our aircraft in Miami today. Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.”
The crash caused massive disruption at Miami International Airport. The FAA issued a ground stop and all four runways were closed initially. According to FlightAware, more than 160 flights were cancelled and over 325 delayed by evening, with several flights diverted to Orlando. Two runways reopened by Sunday evening.
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a Go-Team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to investigate, with Boeing and 21 Air pledging full cooperation. The FAA and NTSB will examine factors including weather, with reports of gusty winds up to 30 mph at the time, and whether the aircraft touched down beyond the landing zone.
