Federal officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding an Amazon cargo jet that overran a runway at Miami International Airport, resulting in the deaths of five individuals. The Boeing 767 jet was arriving from Puerto Rico when it struck two vehicles after failing to stop on the runway. Video footage shared on social media indicates that the aircraft was still airborne when it touched down, and the left rear landing gear did not fully settle on the ground.
The plane traveled across a grassy area, breached a chain-link fence, and collided with a van and an SUV. The identities of the victims have not yet been released, but authorities confirmed that they were inside the struck vehicles.
Jennifer Homendy, Chair of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), described the scene as devastating, noting tire marks on the paved surface and debris scattered around the area.
Aviation correspondent Miles O'Brien analyzed the landing, highlighting that the approach was non-stabilized and occurred under challenging weather conditions, including gusty winds and a tailwind. He noted that the aircraft was significantly above the glide slope, leading to a rapid descent and a landing speed of approximately 185 miles per hour, which is higher than typical for a runway of that length.
O'Brien explained that the left wing lifted during the landing, preventing the left landing gear from making contact with the runway. This lack of contact meant that the crew could not deploy reverse thrust or speed brakes, resulting in the plane leaving the runway at about 130 miles per hour.
When asked about the appropriate response for the crew in such a situation, O'Brien stated that if an approach is unstabilized, it is advisable to abort the landing. He emphasized that the decision to continue the approach instead of executing a go-around may have contributed to the incident.
The runway safety area, which is approximately 1,000 feet long, is designed to provide a buffer for large aircraft. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not mandate the installation of an engineered material arresting system (EMAS) if such a safety area is present. EMAS, which consists of breakable concrete to slow down aircraft, might have provided additional safety, but its absence is not a violation of FAA regulations in this case.
The investigation will include an analysis of the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder, which will help clarify the circumstances of the incident and provide more precise data on the aircraft's speed and altitude during the landing.