Five Killed in Cargo Plane Runway Overrun at Miami International Airport

MIAMI (AP) — Five individuals died when an Amazon cargo jet ran off a runway at Miami International Airport. The victims were inside a van carrying seven people from a cleaning company, and an SUV was struck outside of airport property, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy on Monday. Homendy described the scene of Sunday’s crash as devastating but did not specify how many people were in the SUV or the locations of the deceased. She noted tire marks from the pavement into the grass, the destroyed van, torn fencing, navigational equipment, and the crushed SUV outside airport property. The debris included vehicle airbags, equipment from the vehicles, the airplane, and fencing. "It’s pretty extensive. Hard to see and I’m sure it must have been very difficult for the responders as well," Homendy said. The airline traveled approximately 1,300 feet (396 meters) past the paved surface, with debris scattered throughout the area. Homendy stated, "I would describe it in one word as devastating, utter devastation." The van, owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., an airline cleaning contractor, was severely damaged. The NTSB plans to release more information on Tuesday, including potential speed data from the flight data recorder. Federal investigators are examining the cause of the crash, which occurred around 2 p.m. on Sunday. Video footage appears to show the Boeing 767 remaining airborne for an extended distance before landing. Investigators will assess whether the plane touched down too late to stop safely, the landing zone, and the pilots' decision-making during the landing. The aircraft had flown from Cincinnati to Miami and was returning to Miami after a stop in San Juan, Puerto Rico. In addition to the five fatalities, three individuals were critically injured, and two others sustained less severe injuries. The crash produced thick black smoke and trapped the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit, as well as some occupants in vehicles. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah reported that crews had to extricate a person trapped under a vehicle. Experts indicated that the typical landing zone for a plane is within the first 3,000 feet (914 meters) of a runway. If the cargo jet was beyond that area, it should have aborted the landing. Mary Schiavo, a pilot and former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, noted that video footage shows the Amazon plane floating above the runway for an extended period without landing properly. Weather conditions included dark storm clouds and strong winds, which could have contributed to the incident. Miami International Airport does not have arresting systems that the FAA has installed at over 120 airports nationwide to safely stop planes that overrun runways. The airport is compliant with regulations due to a 1,000-foot safety buffer at the end of its runways. The Prime Air plane came to rest beside a roadway near two semitrucks and remained largely intact despite the fire. The flight was operated by 21 Air, a cargo carrier based in North Carolina, and the Boeing 767 was originally built for passenger service before being converted to cargo in 2015. The NTSB will also examine the maintenance history of the aircraft, which has a history of foreign ownership, including by a Russian company.