The 21 Air Miami runway crash that killed five people and seriously injured five others on Sunday is now the subject of a federal investigation, after a Boeing 767 freighter overran the end of the runway at Miami International Airport, crossed a road and struck several vehicles on the ground. The plane burst into flames shortly after coming to rest.
The incident happened just before 14:00 local time. The aircraft had arrived from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, operated by 21 Air, a charter company based in North Carolina, on behalf of Amazon. Three of the five people injured were in critical condition, Miami Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said. Several of those hurt were trapped inside or under vehicles and had to be freed by rescue crews. More than 200 firefighters responded to the scene.
What investigators know about the 21 Air Miami runway crash
According to Omni Flights, the aircraft touched down at a groundspeed of 158 knots, well above the typical target landing speed of 130 to 145 knots for the variant. Flight tracking site FlightRadar24 recorded the plane travelling at 112 knots as it exited the useable runway, and noted that it came to rest near a car park serving an Amazon warehouse and other businesses. There were light thunderstorms and gusting winds in Miami at the time.
The aircraft involved was registered N1997A, a 32-year-old Boeing 767-33AER(BDSF) freighter, according to AirMedia24. The investigation has been formally designated DCA26MA352 by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), as Omni Flights reports. Members of the NTSB, the federal agency responsible for investigating transport accidents, are at the site and were due to brief reporters on Monday afternoon.
Experts who spoke to the Associated Press said video footage of the landing would put a central question to investigators: whether the aircraft touched down within its designated zone on the runway, and if not, what caused it to miss that zone. The speed data adds a further dimension to that question.
Eyewitnesses describe the scene
People in the area described a dramatic and unsettling aftermath. Grace Mercado, who was in a nearby vehicle, told CBS News: ‘The plane was up in smoke. It was just, it was like something from a movie. It was crazy.’ Beth Tilman told the New York Times she had seen a black cloud above the crash site and detected an unusual smell. ‘It wasn’t trees burning. It wasn’t mangroves burning. It was some other odour that I, honestly, had never smelled before,’ she said.
Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava confirmed the death toll at a news conference on Sunday evening, saying rescue crews had arrived at the scene within ‘seconds’ of the crash. It is not yet clear whether those who died were on board the aircraft, on the ground, or both.
Travel disruption across the airport
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) temporarily grounded all flights at Miami International Airport in the immediate aftermath. The crash fell during the Labor Day weekend, one of the busiest travel periods of the year in the United States. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) predicted that 17 million travellers would pass through US airports in the week leading up to the Labor Day holiday, with 2.3 million flying on Sunday alone.
Passengers at the airport told the BBC they were frustrated by a lack of information, with long queues forming at airline counters as people tried to rebook. One traveller, Faroush, said: ‘The earliest I could find to fly to San Francisco was Tuesday morning. I’ll probably have to find a hotel and spend more time in Miami.’
Miami International Airport describes itself on its website as America’s busiest airport for international freight and second busiest for international passengers, having been founded in 1928. About 60% of all international visitors to Florida arrive there.
Both 21 Air and Amazon said they were co-operating fully with the investigation. Keith Winters, CEO of 21 Air, said the company’s ‘immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available.’ Amazon’s Kelly Nantel, Director of Corporate Global Media Relations, said the company was ‘heartbroken’ and was working closely with local authorities to learn more. The NTSB is expected to give a fuller public update on Monday afternoon.
