Miami Cargo Plane Crash: Pilots Released as Investigation Continues

The two pilots of an Amazon-contracted cargo plane that crashed while landing at Miami International Airport have been released from hospital, authorities said Tuesday, as investigators examined data from the aircraft to determine what caused the accident.

The Boeing 767-300 overran the runway on Sunday, broke through a perimeter fence and struck vehicles near the airport. Five people were killed after the aircraft hit a cleaning-services van.

Three other people remained in hospital following the crash, Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said at a news conference. Two were in critical condition, while the third was listed as stable.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the crash. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office is conducting a separate inquiry into the deaths of people on the ground.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators were reviewing the plane’s flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder. The two pilots, aged 55 and 37, are scheduled to be interviewed by investigators on Wednesday.

Preliminary flight data indicated that the crew attempted to abandon the landing before the aircraft continued beyond the runway.

NTSB investigator Chihoon Shin said the pilots attempted a “go-around”, a standard procedure in which a crew stops an approach and climbs back into the air to attempt another landing. The pilots then applied the brakes and reduced the throttle to idle as they tried to stop the aircraft.

The plane eventually came to a halt about 1,300 feet, or roughly 400 metres, beyond the end of the paved runway, Homendy said.

The aircraft was a Boeing 767-300 built in 1994 and operated by Miami-based 21 Air LLC under contract to Amazon. It was completing its third flight of the day after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The crash caused major disruption at Miami International Airport, one of Florida’s busiest aviation hubs, with hundreds of flights delayed following the accident.

Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s mechanical systems, the pilots’ actions, weather conditions and runway circumstances as they work to establish the sequence of events.

Authorities have not yet identified a definitive cause of the crash. The investigation is expected to take time as officials analyse recorded flight information, inspect the aircraft and interview the crew and witnesses.