Amazon has suspended operations with 21 Air after one of the carrier’s Boeing 767 cargo planes overshot a runway at Miami International Airport, killing five people.
The aircraft travelled about 1,300ft beyond the end of the runway on September 6 before striking a van carrying workers for an aircraft cleaning company. Five people in the van died and five others were injured.
Amazon spokeswoman Kelly Nantel said the company had paused its work with 21 Air, which operated Flight 7598, after reviewing the circumstances surrounding the crash.
“After the tragic incident last weekend, we’ve spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we’ve decided to pause our operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598,” she said in a statement.
“We’ll continue working to support the investigation and everyone affected,” Ms Nantel added. “Safety has always been our top priority, whether in our own operations or when we’re working with partners.”
The North Carolina-based carrier has flown packages for Amazon since 2024. The company did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Amazon’s decision.
Investigation into Miami runway crash
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are expected to examine the aircraft’s ownership history, weather conditions at the airport, maintenance records and 21 Air’s operations.
Information released by the NTSB on September 9 indicated that one pilot warned the other they were travelling too fast during the approach and after landing.
Recordings from the cockpit also captured several automated warnings about the aircraft’s descent speed and terrain. A full transcript of the conversation between the pilots is not expected to be released until later in the investigation.
The 32-year-old Boeing 767 was originally built as a passenger aircraft and operated for several airlines in foreign countries for more than two decades. It was converted into a cargo plane in 2015.
