Amazon cargo plane overshoots runway at Miami airport, killing five

MIAMI – An Amazon cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport and burst into flames on Sept 6, killing at least five people and shutting down the airport’s runways.

The Boeing 767-300, operated by 21 Air as Prime Air Flight 7598, overshot the runway at around 2pm after arriving from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The plane slammed into multiple vehicles near the airport, trapping some people inside, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, which reported heavy flames and smoke when it responded to the incident.

Along with the five people who were killed, another five were injured, three of whom were in critical condition, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said at a news conference.

“We’ll continue to update you as soon as information is confirmed, and tonight our entire community is joined in prayer and grieving for those who are affected,” she said.

“Prime Air Flight 7598 overran Miami International Airport’s diagonal runway and is disabled at the north-west end of the airport,” Indira Almeida-Pardillo, a spokeswoman for Miami International Airport, said in a statement.

She said all runways and taxiways were closed as at 3pm local time (3am on Sept 7, Singapore time) and a ground stop was in effect.

Several hours later, at least two of the runways had opened, said Greg Chin, another airport spokesperson.

There was “a very complex fire”, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue chief Ray Jadallah said at a news conference, and the engine compartments were on fire during the “search and rescue of the pilot and co-pilot who were trapped in this aircraft”.

A total of 60 fire units responded to the scene.

“They arrived within 30 seconds after getting a call,” he said. 

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned of significant delays and possible cancellations in a post on social media platform X.

21 Air, a Miami-based cargo airline, began operating Boeing 767-300 freighters on behalf of Amazon in 2024.

In a statement on its website, 21 Air said it was cooperating with the FAA, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and local authorities.

“Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives,” the company said.

Amazon confirmed that one of its planes, operated by 21 Air, experienced an incident while attempting to land in Miami. 

“We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened,” Kelly Nantel, an Amazon spokeswoman, said in a post on X.

“Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being and care of everyone involved,” she added.

The FAA said it would investigate the incident, and the NTSB said it was also starting a probe and would hold a media briefing on Sept 7.

Amazon’s in-house cargo airline has tilted its focus to larger aircraft that can handle longer distances and bulk shipping, with the 767 model that crashed in Miami now accounting for the largest portion of its fleet.

Amazon Prime also has 10 Airbus A330-300 freighters, as well as smaller narrow-body 737s for regional routes.

21 Air, which also provides dedicated transport for DHL Express, is owned by Jim Crane, the chairman of the Houston Astros baseball team, according to a 2021 letter to the Department of Transportation.

While the circumstances of the accident remain unknown, the crash stands to be the worst cargo-related incident since UPS Airlines Flight 2976 was destroyed on Nov 4, 2025, when it impacted the ground shortly after take-off at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Kentucky, killing the three crew members on board and 11 people on the ground.

Freight planes make up only a small part of commercial air traffic, but cargo operations have been prone to proportionally more crashes over the years, partly because flights can be longer and planes are often older. 

The most common accidents in the industry in 2025 were tail strikes, landing-gear malfunctions, runway excursions and ground damage, according to the International Air Transport Association’s 2025 Annual Safety Report.

The aircraft involved in the Miami crash was more than 32 years old, having first flown in June 1994.

Over the decades, it changed hands, including operations for Air Europa, Kenya Airways and Atlas Air, a cargo specialist, after being converted into a cargo aircraft in 2016, according to data compiled by the Planespotters website.

The Boeing 767 is no longer in production as a commercial aircraft but still widely flown.

The manufacturer still makes the plane in low numbers as military refuelling planes. BLOOMBERG