At least five people have been killed and five injured after an Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 freighter overran a runway at Miami International Airport, prompting investigations by the US National Transportation Safety Board and Federal Aviation Administration.
The incident occurred on September 6 as Prime Air Flight 7598, operated by US cargo carrier 21 Air, was landing at Miami International Airport after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The Boeing 767-300 freighter overran the airport’s diagonal runway at approximately 2 p.m. local time and continued beyond the runway area, striking several vehicles before coming to rest and catching fire. At least five people were killed, while five others were injured, according to authorities.
The aircraft was carrying the Prime Air branding and was being operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon. The accident resulted in a temporary ground stop at Miami International Airport, with runways and taxiways closed while emergency crews responded and assessed the scene.
NTSB Launches Investigation
The National Transportation Safety Board has dispatched a team to Miami to investigate the accident. The Federal Aviation Administration is also conducting an investigation into the crash.
The cause of the runway overrun has not been determined. Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft, flight data, weather conditions, runway environment and operational factors as part of the investigation.
Amazon said it was deeply saddened by the loss of life and confirmed that it would cooperate fully with the investigation.
“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” Amazon said in a statement, extending its condolences to the families and others affected.
Aircraft And Flight Details
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 767-300 freighter operated by 21 Air as Prime Air Flight 7598. Tracking data reported by Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft was travelling at approximately 112 knots as it exited the usable runway area.
The aircraft had departed San Juan at approximately 15:42 UTC and landed in Miami at about 17:53 UTC, according to flight-tracking data.
The investigation will determine the circumstances that led to the runway excursion and the subsequent collision with vehicles outside the airport perimeter.
Miami Operations Disrupted
The accident temporarily disrupted operations at one of the United States’ major cargo gateways. Miami International Airport implemented a ground stop following the incident, while emergency services worked at the crash site.
Several runways were subsequently reopened, although significant delays and cancellations were reported following the accident.
Miami is a major international air cargo hub and an important gateway for freight between the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. The incident therefore resulted in disruption beyond the immediate accident site as airport operations were gradually restored.
The NTSB investigation remains ongoing, and no determination has yet been made regarding the cause of the accident.
