NewsWSVN 7 MiamiSeptember 14, 2026Miami-Dade County
Airplane Crash at Miami International Airport Kills Five Cleaning Crew Members and Prompts Wrongful Death Lawsuit
Photo: WSVN 7 Miami
A cargo plane operated by 21 Air for Amazon overran a runway at Miami International Airport, crashing into a van and killing five airplane cleaning workers. Five other individuals sustained injuries in the incident, which is currently under investigation by the NTSB. A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the widow of one of the victims against the pilots, Amazon, Inc., and 21 Air LLC.
Aviation SafetyAirport OperationsLabor and EmploymentAccidents and TragediesLegal Actions and Lawsuits
Read the full story at WSVN 7 Miami Why It Matters
Five airport contract workers lost their lives in a at Miami International Airport, prompting ongoing federal investigations and civil litigation regarding liability for the accident.
Key Facts
- Five men working as an airplane cleaning crew were killed when a cargo plane overran the end of a runway at Miami International Airport.
- The aircraft was a more than 100-ton plane operated for Amazon by contractor 21 Air.
- The plane struck a van full of cleaning workers, an airport fence, concrete vehicle barriers, and an SUV before stopping and catching fire.
- Five other people were injured, including the plane's two pilots, two members of the cleaning crew, and a man in an SUV.
- The victims who died were Julio Pineda, Rolando Alemán León, Yoel Rodríguez Naranjo, Carlos Acosta Fajardo, and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo.
- The victims were employees of a contractor named Professional Ocean Service Corp.
- The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is conducting an investigation into the cause of the crash.
- A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the plane's pilots, Amazon, Inc., and 21 Air LLC by the widow of Yoel Rodríguez Naranjo.
- Amazon stated it is fully cooperating with the NTSB and coordinating with 21 Air regarding the incident.
Who's Mentioned
PersonRolando Alemán León“Victim and cleaning crew member”PersonMark Lopez-Trigo“Attorney for Pineda's sons”OrganizationMorgan & Morgan“Law firm representing Santiso Morejon”PersonBlanca Llauro Esquivel“Former landlord of Rolando Alemán León”PersonYoel Rodríguez Naranjo“Victim and driver of the van”PersonJorge Gutierrez Jr.“Attorney retained by Quevedo's brother and Acosta Fajardo's partner”OrganizationProfessional Ocean Service Corp.“Employer of the cleaning crew members”PersonSoma Priddle“Aviation attorney and former commercial airline captain”PersonJake Tapper“CNN anchor/interviewer”PersonYaraisi Santiso Morejon“Widow of Yoel Rodríguez Naranjo”PersonNelson Fernandez“Husband of Carlos Acosta Fajardo”OrganizationMiami-Dade Sheriff’s Office“Identified the victims of the crash”PersonJosé Sigas“Neighbor and friend of Julio Pineda”PersonEmilio Herrera“Neighbor of Julio Pineda”PersonKelly Nantel“Amazon spokesperson”PersonJavierkys Reyes Quevedo“Victim and cleaning crew member”Organization21 Air“Contractor operating the plane for Amazon”PersonJulio Pineda“Victim and member of the airplane cleaning crew”PersonCarlos Acosta Fajardo“Victim and cleaning crew member”OrganizationNational Transportation Safety Board“Conducting the investigation on the ground”PersonJorge Garcia“Attorney discussing the incident”OrganizationAmazon“Company associated with the operated flight”locationMiami International Airport“Location of the plane crash”PersonAna Calatayu“Worker at a supermarket below Pineda's apartment”