NewsWPLG Local 10September 7, 2026Miami-Dade County
Federal investigators probe fatal Amazon cargo jet runway overrun at Miami International Airport
Photo: WPLG Local 10
Federal investigators are examining whether an Amazon cargo jet touched down too late on a Miami International Airport runway before crashing into vehicles, killing at least five people. The National Transportation Safety Board deployed a team to investigate the Sunday afternoon crash, which also left several others injured and disrupted air travel.
Read the full story at WPLG Local 10Why It Matters
The crash resulted in five fatalities, multiple injuries, and ongoing flight disruptions at Miami International Airport, prompting a federal safety investigation into runway landing protocols.
Key Facts
- An Amazon cargo jet barreled off a runway at Miami International Airport into vehicles, killing at least five people.
- Five people died, three were critically injured, and two others were hospitalized with less severe injuries.
- The crash occurred around 2 p.m. Sunday after the plane arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to investigate.
- Investigators are focusing on whether the plane touched down too late to stop safely and why the pilots did not abort the landing.
- The flight was operated by 21 Air, a cargo carrier based in North Carolina.
- The aircraft involved was a 32-year-old Boeing 767 converted to a cargo plane in 2015 with a history of foreign ownership.
- Miami International Airport is not equipped with engineered material arresting systems, but met federal compliance requirements via a 1,000-foot safety buffer.
- The crash halted flights at the airport for much of Sunday afternoon and continued to disrupt operations into Monday.
- Amazon stated it would cooperate fully with the investigation.
Who's Mentioned
OrganizationFlightradar24“Flight-tracking site providing information on the aircraft's history”locationLittle Rock National Airport“Location of the 1999 American Airlines runway overrun”PersonMary Schiavo“Pilot and former Inspector General of the Transportation Department”OrganizationUPS“Carrier involved in a previous runway crash”locationMuhammad Ali International Airport“Airport in Louisville where a previous UPS plane crash occurred”PersonRay Jadallah“Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief”PersonMike O’Donnell“FAA’s former director of airport safety and accident investigations”Organization21 Air“North Carolina-based cargo carrier that operated the flight”PersonSteve Arroyo“Aviation safety expert”OrganizationNational Transportation Safety Board“Federal agency leading the investigation into the crash”PersonJennifer Homendy“Chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board leading the team to Miami”OrganizationAmazon“Operator of the cargo jet involved in the crash”locationMiami International Airport“Location where the cargo jet crashed”OrganizationFederal Aviation Administration“Federal agency regulating airport safety and runway safety areas”