Investigators Examine Late Touchdown in Deadly Amazon Cargo Jet Crash That Killed 5 in Miami/ TezzBuzz/ WASHINGTON/ J. mansour/ Federal investigators are examining whether an Amazon cargo jet touched down too far along a Miami International Airport runway before crashing into vehicles. At least five people were killed, three were critically injured and two others sustained less severe injuries. Officials have not determined the cause, with investigators expected to review landing data, braking, weather and the aircraft’s mechanical condition.
Quick Look
- The crash occurred around 2 p.m. Sunday.
- The Boeing 767 was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- The aircraft overran the runway and crossed a nearby road.
- At least five people died and five others were injured.
- The pilot and copilot were trapped in the cockpit.
- The NTSB sent a team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy.
- Investigators will examine where the plane touched down.
- Speed, braking, wind and maintenance will also be reviewed.
- The aircraft was operated by North Carolina-based 21 Air.
- More than 160 flights were canceled and nearly 325 delayed.
Deep Look
Investigators focus on aircraft’s touchdown point
MIAMI — Federal investigators are examining whether an Amazon cargo jet landed too far down a runway to stop safely before crashing into vehicles near Miami International Airport, killing at least five people.
Video of Sunday’s landing appeared to show the Boeing 767 remaining airborne well along the runway before touching down. Investigators are expected to establish its precise touchdown point and determine whether the pilots had sufficient runway remaining to stop.
If the aircraft landed beyond the normal touchdown area, investigators will examine why the crew did not abandon the approach and circle the airport for another attempt.
Aviation experts said a commercial aircraft typically should land within the first 3,000 feet, or 914 meters, of a runway.
The late-touchdown possibility is only one line of inquiry. Authorities have not established the cause of the crash.
Five killed after jet crosses roadway
The plane overran the runway at approximately 2 p.m. Sunday after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
It continued beyond airport property and crossed a road used by warehouse employees and workers at surrounding businesses, striking vehicles before catching fire.
Officials reported that at least five people died. Three others sustained critical injuries, while two were hospitalized with less severe injuries.
Authorities had not immediately determined whether the pilots were among those killed or whether all the fatalities occurred in vehicles on the ground.
The Federal Aviation Administration identified the aircraft as 21 Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 cargo jet arriving from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.
Emergency crews rescue trapped occupants
The collision sent thick black smoke above the airport and surrounding area.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah said the pilot and copilot became trapped in the cockpit, while other people were pinned inside vehicles. Emergency crews also extracted a person trapped underneath a vehicle.
Approximately 200 emergency personnel responded to the scene. They encountered heavy flames and smoke from what the department described as a complicated engine-compartment fire.
Specialized airport firefighting units used foam to extinguish the blaze. Crews continued addressing a fuel leak several hours after the crash.
Images showed the aircraft resting on its belly beside a roadway near two semitrucks. Much of its main structure appeared to remain intact despite the fire.
NTSB sends investigative team to Miami
The National Transportation Safety Board dispatched investigators led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to Miami. Homendy was expected to provide the agency’s first formal briefing Monday.
Investigators will analyze the aircraft’s speed during approach and landing, braking performance and mechanical condition. They are also expected to retrieve flight-recording equipment and study air traffic communications, crew decisions, maintenance records and weather data.
Authorities will need to determine whether a single problem or a combination of factors caused the runway overrun.
Experts consider wind and landing technique
It was not raining when the crash occurred, but dark storm clouds were visible and strong winds had been reported in the area.
Mary Schiavo, a pilot and former Transportation Department inspector general, said publicly available video appeared to show the aircraft floating above the runway for an extended period.
Investigators are likely to examine whether a tail wind increased the jet’s ground speed or caused it to remain airborne longer than expected.
“A tail wind would certainly add to your troubles if you’ve already given up a good chunk of the runway by not touching down and landing right away,” Schiavo said.
Weather’s role, if any, remains undetermined.
Miami airport lacks runway arresting system
Miami International Airport does not have the specialized arresting beds installed at more than 120 airports across the United States.
Known as engineered materials arresting systems, the installations use lightweight, crushable material to slow aircraft that travel beyond the end of a runway.
The FAA says the systems have helped protect at least 497 people aboard aircraft involved in runway overruns.
The absence of such a system does not establish why the Boeing 767 failed to stop. Investigators may nevertheless consider whether one could have reduced the crash’s consequences.
Aircraft had operated for more than three decades
The Prime Air flight was operated by 21 Air, a cargo airline based in North Carolina.
The Boeing 767 was 32 years old and had originally been configured as a passenger aircraft. It flew for several airlines for more than two decades before being converted for cargo service in 2015, according to Flightradar24.
Investigators are expected to conduct a detailed examination of the aircraft’s maintenance history and prior ownership.
An aircraft’s age alone does not demonstrate that mechanical failure contributed to an accident, and no such failure had been confirmed.
Crash causes extensive flight disruptions
The accident halted operations at the busy airport for much of Sunday afternoon.
More than 160 flights were canceled and nearly 325 were delayed by late Sunday, according to FlightAware. Some arriving flights were diverted to Orlando International Airport, more than 200 miles north of Miami.
Airport operations were expected to remain affected as investigators documented the site and crews dealt with wreckage, damaged vehicles and fuel contamination.
Amazon promises cooperation
Amazon offered condolences to those affected and said it would cooperate with the investigation.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” the company said. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”
The crash occurred one year after a UPS cargo plane lost an engine while accelerating for takeoff at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. That accident killed the aircraft’s three pilots and 12 people on the ground, while 23 others were injured.
Federal investigators have not indicated that the two cargo-plane disasters are connected.
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