Miami Airport Plane Crash: Amazon Cargo Jet Overruns Runway, 5 Killed

An Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport, caught fire and struck vehicles on a nearby roadway on Sunday, killing at least five people and injuring five others, authorities said. The Boeing 767, operated by North Carolina-based cargo carrier 21 Air, was carrying out Prime Air Flight 7598 from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it crashed at around 2 pm local time.

The aircraft came to a stop near the northwest end of the airport and was disabled following the incident. Thick black smoke rose over the airport as emergency crews rushed to the scene.

Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said the pilot and co-pilot were trapped inside the cockpit, while people were also trapped in vehicles near the crash site. Rescue crews had to free one person pinned beneath a vehicle.

Three of the five injured people were in critical condition, while two others suffered less serious injuries. Authorities had not immediately established whether those killed and injured were aboard the aircraft or on the ground.

Around 200 emergency personnel responded to the crash. Firefighters used specialised airport equipment and foam to contain the blaze around the aircraft's engine area, while crews continued dealing with a fuel leak several hours later.

Miami Airport Shut Down After Cargo Plane Crash

The crash brought operations at Miami International Airport to a temporary halt, with all runways and taxiways closed as emergency teams responded.

The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop following the incident. By late Sunday, more than 160 flights had been cancelled and nearly 325 delayed, according to FlightAware.

Some flights were diverted to Orlando International Airport, more than 200 miles (320 km) north of Miami.

The aircraft eventually came to rest on its belly beside a roadway and near two semi-trucks. Images from the scene showed the Boeing 767 largely intact despite extensive fire damage.

The FAA said it would investigate the crash, while the National Transportation Safety Board announced that it was sending a team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to Miami.

Amazon said it would cooperate with investigators.

“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” the company said, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and others affected by the crash.

Weather, Aircraft History Under Investigation

The cause of the crash remains unclear. Thunderstorms and wind gusts of up to 30 mph (48 kph) were reported in the area around the time of the incident, according to the National Weather Service.

Investigators will examine weather conditions, the aircraft, runway conditions, crew actions and other factors as they work to determine why the plane overran the runway.

The aircraft was a 32-year-old Boeing 767, originally built as a passenger aircraft before being converted into a freighter in 2015. It had spent more than two decades operating for various airlines before entering cargo service.

The investigation is expected to focus on the sequence of events leading to the runway overrun and the factors that caused the aircraft to leave the airport grounds and collide with vehicles.