Investigators hunt for what went wrong after cargo plane crash in Miami kills at least 5
Federal investigators are examining how an Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 overran a runway at Miami International Airport, struck vehicles and caught fire, killing at least five people and injuring five others.
Julia Thompson|National News Reporter
Sep. 7, 2026
Federal investigators are working to determine what caused an Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft to overrun a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, September 6, killing at least five people and injuring five others in one of the most serious aviation accidents to hit the busy South Florida airport in recent years. The Boeing 767-300, operated by North Carolina-based 21 Air on behalf of Amazon Prime Air, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it ran beyond the end of the runway shortly before 2 p.m. local time. The aircraft crossed an area used by vehicles and businesses near the airport before striking multiple vehicles and coming to rest in an adjacent area, where it was engulfed by flames and produced a large column of thick black smoke. Emergency crews responded with more than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units as firefighters battled the blaze, dealt with leaking fuel and worked to reach people trapped inside the aircraft and vehicles. The pilot and co-pilot were initially trapped in the cockpit, while rescue workers also had to extricate people from vehicles affected by the crash. Authorities said five people were killed and five others were injured, with three of those injured reported to be in critical condition. Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board are leading the examination, with the Federal Aviation Administration also involved. The investigation is expected to examine the aircraft's final approach, touchdown point, speed, braking performance, runway conditions, weather, aircraft maintenance and the actions of the flight crew. Investigators will also examine whether the plane touched down too far along the runway to stop safely. Aviation experts have noted that a normal landing should occur within an established touchdown zone, and an aircraft that is unable to land within the appropriate area may need to discontinue the approach and attempt another landing.
Weather conditions are another potential factor investigators are expected to consider, including thunderstorms and gusty winds reported around the time of the accident. Authorities have not assigned blame and have not announced a definitive cause. The aircraft itself was a 32-year-old Boeing 767 that had originally been delivered as a passenger aircraft before being converted to a freighter. Its operational history, maintenance records and recent inspections will form part of the investigation. The crash also caused major disruption at Miami International Airport, with runways and taxiways temporarily closed and hundreds of flights affected through cancellations and delays. The accident has raised questions about runway safety, emergency stopping systems and the risks posed when aircraft overrun airport boundaries into areas where vehicles and workers are present. Federal investigators are expected to examine wreckage, flight data, cockpit recordings, airport surveillance footage and weather information as they reconstruct the final moments of the flight. The investigation could take months or longer, and officials have cautioned that early theories should not be treated as established findings. For families of the victims, however, the immediate priority is identifying those who died, supporting the injured and determining how the disaster occurred. The findings could eventually lead to recommendations affecting cargo airlines, airport infrastructure, pilot procedures and runway safety standards across the United States.
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