A daring landing attempt turned tragic when an Amazon Air Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft overshot the runway and crashed onto the tarmac at Miami International Airport, killing five crew members and leaving five more seriously injured. The 23‑year‑old flight, scheduled to arrive from São Lourenço de (San Juan), Puerto Rico, was gaining speed when pilots lost control and were unable to decelerate before it crossed the threshold.
The aircraft, an older model of the wide‑body freighter, had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan at 13:30 local time and was scheduled to arrive at 13:54. According to the airport’s official statement, the jet crashed at approximately 14:00 local time, or 19:00 GMT, and struck multiple vehicles parked on the runway edge as it attempted to land.
Eyewitness footage captured the moment the plane’s fuselage jumped over the runway markings, causing a flash of debris and the audible thump of a cargo hold impact. Emergency crews arrived within minutes, providing first‑aid to the injured and securing the scene. Five passengers were transported to the nearest critical‑care facilities, though five crew members were pronounced dead at the scene.
Miami airport authorities announced that a full investigation would be launched, with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) expected to cooperate with local investigators. Officials are scrutinizing maintenance records, pilot training logs, and potential stressors such as runway surface conditions and weather.
The incident also prompted a temporary halt of all flights at Miami International Airport, forcing airlines to reroute empty cargo flights across the country. The aviation community has issued an urgent call for an industry‑wide review of cargo‑plane runway braking procedures to prevent a recurrence of such accidents.
