NTSB Says Amazon Cargo Plane May Have Tried to Abort Landing Before Miami Crash
Investigators say the Amazon cargo aircraft’s throttles were at full power and no braking systems were used before it overran the runway at Miami International Airport, killing five people.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) believes the pilots of an Amazon cargo plane attempted to abort the landing moments before the aircraft overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, a crash that killed five people and injured five others. Data from the flight recorder showed the throttles were set to full power seconds before impact, while speed brakes and thrust reversers were not deployed, according to the board.
Witness Abraham Altamar said a pilot he spoke with appeared nervous and told him, "Oh, my career is over," before calling his wife to say he was alive. Altamar noted the pilot had bruises on his hand and forehead but did not appear seriously injured.
Former Department of Transportation inspector general Mary Schiavo said the aircraft was "coming in hot, meaning too much airspeed, and they were above the glide path that they were supposed to be on to get down."
The crew has been identified as 55-year-old Joseph Carroll and 37-year-old Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, though the witness could not confirm which pilot he interacted with. The NTSB plans to release cockpit voice recordings for further analysis on Wednesday.