At least five people were killed and five injured when an Amazon cargo plane overran the runway at Miami International Airport and struck several vehicles, prompting a major emergency response and a three-hour ground stop.
The Boeing 767-300, operating as Prime Air Flight 7598, came off the runway at about 2pm on Sunday, 6 September, after arriving from San Juan in Puerto Rico. The flight was operated by North Carolina-based cargo carrier 21 Air.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the aircraft crossed into an area used by warehouse workers and other businesses near Northwest 42nd Avenue, where it hit several vehicles before coming to rest in an adjacent field.
Three of the injured people were taken to a trauma centre in critical condition, while two others were assessed and transported to hospitals. Officials have not released the identities of those killed or clarified how many of the victims were aboard the plane.
Amazon cargo plane crash triggers rescue operation
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units attended the scene, with crews reporting heavy smoke and flames from the aircraft. Firefighters used foam and specialist airport equipment to bring the fire under control.
Rescue teams searched the cockpit for the pilot and co-pilot and freed people trapped inside vehicles. One person was also reported to have been trapped beneath a vehicle, while crews continued to deal with a fuel leak from the aircraft.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue chief Ray Jadallah described the incident as a “very complex situation”. Officials said there was no continuing threat to the wider public, but motorists and residents were urged to avoid the area around 67th Avenue and 25th Street.
The aircraft was largely intact despite the fire and came to rest on its underside beside a roadway. The 32-year-old Boeing 767 had originally been built as a passenger aircraft before being converted for cargo operations in 2015.
Federal investigators examine Miami runway overrun
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that 21 Air Flight 7598 had overrun the runway after landing and said the aircraft had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause.
The NTSB was due to set out its investigation plans on Monday, with investigators expected to examine the aircraft’s maintenance history, the landing and the conditions on the runway. No cause has been established.
The crash closed all runways and taxiways at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon. The ground stop issued by the FAA was lifted after roughly three hours, although more than 160 flights were cancelled and nearly 325 delayed, according to FlightAware.
By Monday, the FAA’s airport status information showed no destination-specific delays, although travellers were warned to check directly with their airlines for disruption.
Amazon confirmed that one of its aircraft had been involved in the crash. Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokesperson, said the company was working with local authorities and would co-operate fully with the investigation.
Keith Winters, 21 Air’s chief executive, said the company was “devastated by the accident involving one of our aircraft” and offered condolences to the families of those who died.
