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This photo provided by the NTSB on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, shows the flight data recorder from the Amazon cargo jet that barreled off a runway at Miami International Airport. NTSB/via AP
For nearly two minutes, one of the pilots of the Amazon cargo plane that careened off a Miami runway and killed five people repeatedly warned his counterpart they were going too fast as they approached for landing and after touchdown, according to flight information released Wednesday. A summary of cockpit voice recordings compiled by the National Transportation Safety Board said the fellow pilot never gave a consistent verbal response to the warnings. The plane touched down awkwardly, briefly attempted to take off, and then smashed into a van carrying the five victims.
The Amazon plane came in fast on Sunday afternoon, barreling roughly 1,300 feet past the end of the runway and smashing into a van carrying workers at a plane cleaning company before hitting a compact SUV as it slid across a public road before catching fire. All five people who died were in the van. Five others were hurt, including two who remained in critical condition on Tuesday. The two pilots survived and were interviewed Wednesday by investigators.
At the point when the pilot first called out the plane was speeding, former FAA official Mike O'Donnell said the crew could have slowed down by extending spoilers, cutting throttles, or lowering landing gear. Or they could have aborted the landing. 'You have plenty of time to slow down,' O'Donnell said. The flight data recorder showed the plane was unsteady as it approached the ground amid strong winds. The pilots briefly disengaged brakes and pushed throttles up, attempting a go-around, but abandoned it after four seconds.
Cockpit audio also captured automated warnings about speed and terrain. O'Donnell noted these reinforced the plane's instability and possible misconfiguration. The Boeing 767, originally a passenger jet, was converted to cargo use in 2015 and operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina-based cargo carrier for Amazon since 2024.
Experts questioned the pilots' teamwork, with former airline pilot Steve Arroyo highlighting a lack of coordination and leadership. Mary Schiavo, a former Transportation Department Inspector General, suggested the senior pilot may not have challenged the warnings effectively.
The NTSB will review ownership history, weather conditions, maintenance records, and operations by 21 Air. This incident follows a UPS cargo jet crash in Louisville in October, killing three pilots and 12 people on the ground, with 23 others injured.
Source: NPR
