Amazon Air pauses 21 Air as NTSB probes fatal Miami runway overrun
MIAMI — Federal investigators are trying to determine why an Amazon Air cargo jet overran a runway at Miami International Airport last week, killing five people and injuring several others, as Amazon said it is pausing its work with the plane’s operator.
The Boeing aircraft, operating as Flight 7598 for 21 Air, went off the runway about 2 p.m. Sept. 6, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The jet struck vehicles and equipment after leaving the paved surface, turning a busy airport perimeter into a scene of debris and devastation.
Five people were killed. Five others were taken to a hospital, authorities said. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office later identified the dead as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Narajo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
Among the injured, Eugenio Corredor, 79, who was in a sedan, and Ridoel Averhoff Diaz, 32, who was in a van, were listed in critical condition. Roosevelt Sebastian Perdomo Torres, 36, also in the van, was in stable condition. Pilots Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, and Joseph Carol, 55, were released with minor injuries.
Amazon Air pauses 21 Air operations
Amazon said Sept. 13 that it would pause its operations with 21 Air, the carrier that operated the flight. The decision adds pressure to a logistics partnership at a time when Amazon Air relies on outside cargo airlines to move packages through its network.
“After the tragic incident last weekend, we’ve spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we’ve decided to pause our operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598,” Kelly Nantel, a spokesperson for Amazon, said in a statement. “We’ll continue working to support the investigation and everyone affected.”
Nantel said earlier that Amazon would “fully cooperate” with investigators and continue coordinating with 21 Air. Amazon leaders also met with local officials, first responders and community members, the company said.
21 Air said it was cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board, the FAA and local authorities. In a statement on its website, the company offered condolences to the families and loved ones of those who died and said its immediate priorities were supporting those affected, assisting authorities and communicating accurate information as it becomes available.
Investigators focus on final moments
The NTSB, which investigates civil aviation accidents in the United States, opened an investigation into the crash. Chair Jennifer Homendy said the agency had questions for the pilots and hoped scheduled interviews would supplement what investigators have seen on the cockpit voice recorder.
A Sept. 9 NTSB release offered a summary of selected events captured on the recorder during the final minutes. The flight crew checked in with Miami tower and were cleared to land on Runway 30, according to the summary. One pilot warned that they were “too fast” and made additional comments about the aircraft’s excessive speed through the rest of the recording.
The summary said there was not a consistent verbal response to the speed comments. Before the recording ended, a pilot called for a go-around — a maneuver in which a crew aborts the landing approach and climbs back to a safe altitude and configuration for another attempt, according to the FAA.
Chihoon Shin, the investigator in charge, said at a Sept. 8 news conference that recorded data showed no indication that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed. But Shin said he would not speculate about what should have been done, adding that an aircraft performance study and analysis of the flight data recorder were needed.
“When we analyze the full list of parameters, we’ll have a better idea of the aircraft performance during this landing,” Shin said. “Was it normal, was it not, and what was working and what was not.”
A day of multiple flights
According to Homendy, the crash occurred on the aircraft’s third flight that day. It flew from Cincinnati to Miami, then from Miami to San Juan, and crashed while returning to Miami from San Juan.
The plane overran the runway and struck navigational aids and equipment before hitting a 2012 white Ford Econoline van, Homendy said. The van was owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., a contract cleaning company for the airlines, and seven people were inside. After traveling through a perimeter fence, the jet hit a Toyota Corolla driving along Northwest 67th Avenue.
Overall, the aircraft came to rest about 1,300 feet past the paved surface, officials said.
Homendy described the crash site as “devastating.”
“Utter devastation. I mean, you can see, on the paved surface, tire marks that continue through the grass,” she said. “There’s debris everywhere. The Econoline van is torn apart. It certainly must have been devastating.”
The investigation is still in its early stages, and no cause has been determined. The answers will likely shape scrutiny not only of the flight crew’s actions but also of operational procedures, training and oversight for cargo flights operating into major airports like MIA, a key gateway for international trade and passenger travel.
For Amazon, the pause with 21 Air signals how quickly a fatal accident can affect its air cargo network, which depends on contracted operators to meet delivery schedules. For federal regulators, the case adds to long-running questions about runway safety, approach stability and how crews respond when an approach begins to go wrong.
This article was rewritten from USA TODAY reporting.