Five Dead After Amazon Cargo Jet Crashes Off Runway in Miami, NTBS Investigating

Five people were killed over the Labor Day weekend after an Amazon Cargo jet ran off the runway at Miami International Airport and crashed into traffic on a city street.

Five People Killed in Amazon Plane Crash Identified

According to the Associated Press, the fatal plane crash occurred around 2 p.m. Sunday as the jet was completing a two-hour flight from Puerto Rico.

Initial reports suggest the Amazon plane overran the runway and careened onto a city street where it struck multiple vehicles before catching on fire. Five people were killed, two people remain in critical condition, and at least three others, including the pilot and co-pilot, were hospitalized with non-critical injuries.

All five of the deceased were in a van owned by Professional Ocean Services Corp., a company that provided cleaning services for commercial planes. They are identified as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.

The identities of the two critically injured victims were not immediately available.

National Transportation Safety Board Investigating the Amazon Crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened a formal investigation into the fatal plane crash. Investigators are currently examining whether the lack of systems designed to slow or stop speeding jets at the end of runways contributed to the incident.

The AP notes that Miami does not utilize Engineered Material Arresting Systems (EMAS). These systems consist of lightweight, crushable material and help bring planes that overshoot the tarmac to a stop safely.

The Federal Aviation Administration has credited EMAS with saving hundreds of lives, but the system is currently used at only 120 airports.

Strong Winds Reported Before Crash

Weather forecasts show a system of storms brewing around the Miami airport prior to the plane’s arrival, with winds over 25 knots being reported Saturday afternoon.

An expert cited by the Associated Press noted that video of the landing shows what appears to be strong tailwinds propelling the plane down the runway, past its designated landing spot.

It also seems air traffic controllers had not changed the runway approach to allow the plane to land into a headwind.

At this time, it is not clear why the plane did not abort its initial landing attempt and try again.

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