Federal investigators are examining whether an Amazon cargo Boeing 767 touched down too far down the runway and at excessive speed before overrunning the runway at Miami International Airport, killing five people.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is studying the aircraft’s speed, braking performance, touchdown point, weather conditions, and mechanical condition to determine why the 32-year-old jet could not be stopped.
Video footage appears to show the aircraft remaining airborne well down the runway before touching down.
The five fatalities were all occupants of a van carrying seven employees of Professional Ocean Service Corp., an airline cleaning contractor, according to NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy.
The aircraft travelled about 1,300 feet (396 metres) beyond the paved runway, tearing through a fence and striking vehicles on a road outside the airport.
An SUV was also hit, while three people were critically injured and two others sustained less serious injuries. Homendy described the crash scene as ” utter devastation.”
Investigators are particularly focused on whether the aircraft should have abandoned the landing and made another approach. Aviation experts say aircraft normally touch down within the first 3,000 feet (914 metres) of a runway; landing beyond that point can leave inadequate stopping distance. Former Transportation Department Inspector General and pilot Mary Schiavo reportedly said video appeared to show the plane “floating” above the runway for an extended period before touchdown. Strong winds and storm clouds were also present, although it was not raining when the crash occurred.
The aircraft, operated by North Carolina-based 21 Air for Amazon’s Prime Air operation, had flown from Cincinnati to Miami and then to San Juan, Puerto Rico, before returning to Miami on Sunday. The Boeing 767, originally built as a passenger aircraft, was converted to a freighter in 2015. Investigators are also expected to examine its maintenance history and other factors that could have contributed to the overrun. The crash disrupted operations at Miami International, with more than 160 cancellations and hundreds of delays reported.
The investigation remains at an early stage, and the NTSB has yet to determine the probable cause. Homendy said the agency expected to release additional information, potentially including confirmed speed data from the aircraft’s flight recorder. Amazon said it was “heartbroken” by the deaths and pledged to cooperate fully with investigators. The Associated Press, whose report forms the basis of this account, said federal investigators were continuing to examine why the cargo jet could not be brought to a safe stop.
Source: Associated Press (AP)