The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has provided information regarding the Amazon cargo jet accident at Miami International Airport. On Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the flight data recorder was retrieved from the crashed plane. This device is essential for understanding the events leading up to the tragedy.
The incident involved an Amazon cargo plane that went off the runway during landing. Five individuals lost their lives when the jet collided with a van on Sunday afternoon. Analysis of cockpit voice recordings revealed that one pilot frequently cautioned about excessive speed during landing, but the co-pilot did not consistently acknowledge these warnings.
Upon touching down, the plane briefly attempted to take off again but ended up crashing into a van with five people from a plane cleaning company. Subsequently, the aircraft slid across a public road before catching fire. An SUV was also struck during this fatal series of events.
Mike O’Donnell, a former Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) official, stated that the pilots had options to slow down or abort the landing. They could have extended spoilers, cut throttles, or lowered landing gear. The plane was already unstable as it approached the runway amid strong winds, and several automated warnings indicated improper landing configuration.
The flight data recorder showed the landing gear touching down far along the runway, leaving insufficient space to stop. Winds at the airport might have contributed by creating a tailwind that propelled the plane.
Experts, including former airline pilot Steve Arroyo, criticized the pilots for not operating cohesively. He cited a lack of coordination and leadership on the flight deck. Mary Schiavo, former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, speculated about the roles of the pilots, questioning if inexperience played a part in how warnings were handled.
The NTSB is examining various factors, including the plane’s history and weather conditions. Built in 1994 as a passenger plane, the Boeing 767 had been repurposed into a cargo carrier by 2015, operated by 21 Air since 2024 for Amazon deliveries. This crash is the second major cargo jet accident in the U.S. within a year, following a UPS plane crash in Louisville last October.