Amazon Cargo Plane Crashes at Miami, Flight Recorders Recovered

Tue Sep 08 2026 01:20:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Investigators recovered flight recorders after a Boeing 767 cargo plane overran Miami International Airport, killing five and injuring five. NTSB prioritises bodies and starts the inquiry.

A Boeing 767‑300 cargo aircraft operated by 21 Air crashed at Miami International Airport, overrunning the runway and colliding with vehicles inside the airport perimeter. Five people lost their lives and five others were seriously injured. The National Transportation Safety Board has recovered both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder and is analysing flight history, crew experience, radar data and weather conditions. The incident has sparked a review of airport safety measures such as engineered materials arresting systems. Authorities are appealing to the public for any footage that could aid the investigation.

Investigators recovered the flight recorders from the Amazon cargo plane that crashed at Miami International Airport, but the priority remains the recovery of victims, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has said.

Five people were killed and five others seriously injured when the Boeing 767‑300, operated by 21 Air, overshot the runway shortly before 14:00 local time on Sunday. The aircraft struck a white van carrying seven passengers and a Toyota Corolla with three occupants within the airport perimeter before coming to rest about 1,300ft beyond the runway.

The NTSB chairwoman, Jennifer Homendy, emphasised that the investigation was still in the fact‑finding stage and that no conclusions about the cause could yet be drawn. She said the aircraft carried only two crew members and had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on its third flight of the day.

The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered and are now being analysed at NTSB headquarters. While investigators are piecing together the sequence of events, they plan to examine flight history, crew training, radar data, aircraft performance and weather conditions. A separate team will focus on the plane’s systems and engines, and a meteorologist will assess the thunderstorm that lingered near the airport moments before the crash.

Homendy identified whether the runway should have been equipped with an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS) – designed to stop overrunning aircraft – as a "key" part of the investigation. The NTSB also requested that members of the public share any photographs or videos that could assist with the inquiry.

With two of the airport’s four runways remaining closed after the incident, passengers are warned of continued disruptions. The crash occurred during the Labor Day holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel periods in the United States.

Amazon expressed its "heartbreak" over the loss of life and said it was working closely with authorities. 21 Air, the operator, also issued condolences and affirmed its cooperation with investigators.