Five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft overran a runway at Miami International Airport, struck vehicles and caught fire, prompting a major emergency response and a federal investigation.
An Amazon Prime Air cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport has placed renewed attention on runway overrun risks, aircraft emergency response and airport safety systems after at least five people died and five others were injured.
The Boeing 767-300 freighter, operating as Prime Air Flight 7598 for Amazon and flown by cargo carrier 21 Air, overran the runway shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Authorities said the aircraft crossed a roadway near the airport, struck multiple vehicles and came to rest near warehouse and airport support areas.
Miami-Dade officials said five people were killed, while five others were taken to hospital, including three in critical condition. Emergency crews also faced multiple entrapments, including people trapped in vehicles and the aircraft’s pilot and co-pilot inside the cockpit.
Around 200 emergency personnel and more than 60 rescue units responded to the incident. Firefighters encountered heavy smoke, an engine compartment fire and a continuing fuel leak, using specialist airport firefighting resources, including foam, to bring the fire under control.
The crash caused major disruption at one of the United States’ busiest passenger and freight hubs, with flights halted for several hours. Reports cited more than 160 cancellations and hundreds of delays before airport operations began to resume later in the day.
The National Transportation Safety Board sent an investigation team to Miami, led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy, while the Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating. Early areas of interest raised by aviation safety experts include whether the aircraft touched down within the normal touchdown zone, whether wind or runway conditions contributed to the overrun, and the aircraft’s age, maintenance history and landing gear condition.
The aircraft was a 32-year-old Boeing 767-300 that previously operated as a passenger aircraft before being converted for cargo use. Flight tracking data cited in reports indicated the plane was still traveling at significant speed when it exited the usable runway.
Experts also pointed to the role of runway overrun protection. Miami International Airport is not equipped with arresting systems that are used at some airports to slow aircraft that continue beyond the end of a runway. The FAA has previously said such systems have helped prevent fatalities in runway overrun incidents elsewhere.
Amazon said it was working with local authorities and would cooperate with investigations. 21 Air also expressed condolences and said it would support government inquiries, while Boeing said it would assist investigators.
The crash follows other recent fatal cargo aircraft accidents involving large freight operators, keeping scrutiny on cargo aviation safety, airport emergency planning and the protection of people working or traveling near active runways.
