5 Dead After Amazon Cargo Plane Overruns Runway at Miami International Airport

A Boeing 767 cargo jet operated for Amazon by 21 Air overran Runway 30 at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, striking multiple vehicles and bursting into flames. At least five people were killed and five others injured, three critically, in the crash that sent thick black smoke billowing over the busy travel hub .

MIAMI – A devastating aviation disaster unfolded at Miami International Airport on Sunday, September 6, when an Amazon Air cargo flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overran the runway and plowed into vehicles on a road surrounding the airfield .

The aircraft, a 32-year-old Boeing 767-300 operated by cargo carrier 21 Air, landed on Runway 30 around 2 p.m. local time but failed to stop before reaching the end of the more than 9,000-foot-long runway . The plane crossed NW 67th Avenue, striking multiple vehicles before coming to rest on its belly and catching fire .

Rescue and Casualties

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Raied "Ray" Jadallah confirmed that five people were killed and five others injured in the crash . Three of the injured are in critical condition and were transported to a local trauma center, while two others were taken to area hospitals .

Several victims were trapped inside the vehicles struck by the aircraft and had to be extricated by rescue crews . One person was trapped under a vehicle, according to officials. The pilots were removed from the cockpit and were being treated .

More than 60 fire rescue units and approximately 200 emergency personnel responded to the scene, finding the aircraft engulfed in heavy flames and thick black smoke . Firefighters used specialized foam from airport firefighting units to extinguish the blaze, but crews remained on scene hours later dealing with a fuel leak .

Investigation Underway

The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to investigate the crash . The Federal Aviation Administration will also conduct a separate investigation .

Early analysis suggests the aircraft was traveling at approximately 112-130 mph when it exited the usable portion of the runway . Aviation experts told the Associated Press that investigators will focus on whether the plane touched down within the designated landing zone, or if it remained airborne for an extended period, eating up critical runway distance .

Video footage of the landing appears to show the aircraft floating above the runway before touching down, and pilots did not declare an emergency before landing, according to a review of air traffic control audio .

Weather conditions at the time included thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 30 mph, which may have contributed to the incident .

Airport Disruption

The crash forced a complete ground stop at Miami International Airport for much of the afternoon, and two of four runways remained closed into Monday . A ground stop was lifted around 5 p.m. ET, but ground delays are expected to persist due to the disabled aircraft on the runway .

More than 160 flights were canceled and nearly 325 delayed by late Sunday, according to FlightAware, with some flights diverted to Orlando International Airport . The incident occurred over Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year, with the TSA expecting 17 million travelers to pass through U.S. airports .

Response and Aftermath

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel expressed the company's grief in a statement: "We're heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today's incident at Miami International Airport. Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss" .

21 Air CEO Keith Winters also released a statement, saying the company is "devastated by the accident" and is cooperating fully with investigators .

The NTSB is expected to hold its first briefing on the investigation on Monday .