Five killed as Amazon cargo plane overruns runway at Miami airport

At least five people were killed and five others injured when an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed into several vehicles while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday (September 6).

Prime Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air, overshot the airport’s diagonal runway shortly before 2pm (local time) after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The aircraft crossed the airport boundary and struck multiple vehicles on the ground before coming to a stop, local officials said.

According to them, three of the five injured people were in critical condition. The pilot and co-pilot were trapped inside the aircraft during the rescue operation, while several people were also trapped in vehicles hit by the plane.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah said the crash created a complex rescue operation, with fuel leaking from the aircraft and flames and heavy smoke at the scene. More than 60 rescue units and about 200 emergency personnel were deployed.

The airport temporarily halted all flight operations following the crash. Two of its four runways had reopened by Sunday evening, allowing operations to gradually resume.

Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft was travelling at about 112 knots, or roughly 129 mph, around the time it overran the runway. The 32-year-old Boeing 767 had previously operated as a passenger aircraft before being converted for cargo service.

Amazon and 21 Air expressed condolences to the victims and said they were cooperating with authorities investigating the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. Officials have yet to determine what caused the aircraft to overrun the runway.

The crash was the latest fatal accident involving an Amazon Prime Air-operated aircraft. In February 2019, a Boeing 767 cargo plane operating a Miami-Houston route crashed into Trinity Bay, Texas, killing all three people aboard.