NTSB analyzes black-box data after Amazon Air cargo jet overruns Miami runway, killing five
Investigators recovered the flight data and cockpit voice recorders from the Amazon Air Boeing 767 that skidded off a Miami runway, revealing an unusual sequence of gear contact, throttle changes and brake releases before the crash that killed five ground workers.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has retrieved the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the Amazon Air Boeing 767-300 that overran runway 30 at Miami International Airport on Sunday, killing five people in a service-van collision. The aircraft, operated by contractor 21 Air, accelerated past the runway end, struck a van, a fence, concrete barriers and an SUV before coming to rest and catching fire.
Data from more than 400 streams captured by the black boxes show an atypical series of events in the final seconds. About 30 seconds before the recording stopped, the plane was traveling over 180 mph when the right rear and nose landing gears made contact with the runway, while the left rear gear did not touch down until nine seconds later, contrary to standard landing procedures. Fifteen seconds before the end of the record, the brakes were released and throttles advanced to full take-off power; four seconds later, throttles were idled and brakes reapplied. No deployment of speed brakes or thrust reversers was detected.
NTSB investigators plan to interview the flight crew—captain Joseph Carol, 55, with more than 7,000 flight hours, and first officer Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, with over 2,500 hours—to clarify the cockpit actions that led to the throttle and brake changes. "What we need to do is talk to the crew and get their account to understand how they’re manipulating the controls," said NTSB investigator Chihoon Shin.
The aircraft was carrying roughly 32,000 pounds of cargo, primarily contact lenses, on a flight from San Juan to Miami. The NTSB also examined debris, engine components and a black box recovered from one of the struck vehicles, and visited 21 Air’s Miami operations center and the airport’s control tower.
Five cleaning-service workers from Professional Ocean Service Corp. were killed when the plane struck their van; three additional individuals were injured, with two in critical condition. One runway remains closed while investigators continue to collect perishable evidence and assess the scene.
The NTSB emphasized that early information can be inaccurate and that a thorough validation process is required before final conclusions are released.