A Sunday afternoon flight from Puerto Rico ended in a deadly crash when an Amazon cargo plane went past the end of a runway at Miami International Airport.
The Boeing 767-300 continued across a nearby road, where it struck multiple vehicles and caught fire. Videos from the area showed thick black smoke rising above the airport.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, 21 Air Flight 7598 was arriving from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan. The plane ran off the runway at approximately 2 p.m. on Sept. 6.
Miami-Dade officials later confirmed that five people died and five others were injured. Three were critically injured, while two more were taken to local hospitals with less serious injuries.
The Plane Crossed a Road and Hit Several Vehicles
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The plane didn’t stop when it reached the end of the runway, but crossed a road used by people who work at warehouses and other businesses near the airport before coming to rest beside several vehicles.
More than 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded, bringing approximately 200 people to the scene. Firefighters had to put out flames around the engine area while also dealing with a fuel leak. In an incident update, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said one person was trapped beneath a vehicle and had to be freed by a technical rescue team.
Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said the pilot and copilot were also trapped inside the cockpit after the crash. Officials had not released the names of the people who died or explained whether any of them were on the plane as of Sept. 7.
Flights Were Stopped for Approximately Three Hours
All four runways at Miami International Airport were temporarily closed after the crash. The FAA also issued a ground stop, which prevented planes from taking off or landing.
One runway reopened at approximately 4:15 p.m., followed by a second about 30 minutes later. The ground stop ended after about three hours, and flights began moving Sunday evening again.
However, the interruption still affected hundreds of travelers. According to the Associated Press, more than 160 flights were canceled, and nearly 325 were delayed by late Sunday.
Investigators Have Not Said What Caused the Crash
The National Transportation Safety Board sent a team to Miami to investigate. The FAA is also involved, while Amazon and 21 Air have both said they will cooperate.
Investigators will need to determine where the plane touched down and whether it had enough runway left to stop. They will also examine its speed, brakes, mechanical condition and the weather at the time.
21 Air operated the aircraft on Amazon’s behalf. Amazon said it was still gathering information and offered its condolences to the families and others affected by the crash. For now, investigators have not announced a cause.