US investigators have recovered the flight recorders from an Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft that overran a runway in Miami, killing five people on the ground.
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United States investigators have recovered the flight-data and cockpit-voice recorders from an Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft that overran a runway at Miami International Airport and crashed into two vehicles, killing five people.
The Boeing 767-33A was operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon and was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it overran Runway 30 shortly before 2 p.m. local time on September 6.
The aircraft travelled approximately 1,300 feet beyond the runway before striking an Econoline van carrying seven members of an airline-cleaning crew. It then broke through the airport’s perimeter fence and collided with a sport utility vehicle on a nearby road.
Five people on the ground were killed and another five were injured, including three who were reported to be in critical condition. The aircraft’s pilot and co-pilot survived.
The National Transportation Safety Board said the recovered recorders were being transported to its headquarters in Washington for examination. Information stored on the devices could help investigators reconstruct the aircraft’s final approach, landing speed, braking performance and cockpit communications.
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said investigators had not yet interviewed the two pilots. A 32-member investigative team was sent to Miami to document the wreckage and collect evidence.
The aircraft was on its third flight of the day. It had previously travelled from Cincinnati to Miami and from Miami to San Juan before beginning its return journey.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s mechanical condition, crew actions, weather, runway conditions and air-traffic-control communications. They will also consider whether the absence of an Engineered Materials Arresting System at the end of the runway affected the severity of the accident.
Such systems are designed to slow aircraft that travel beyond a runway by using crushable material under their wheels. They are not installed at every airport.
Two of Miami International Airport’s four runways remained closed while investigators collected evidence and crews removed fuel from the site. Commercial flights resumed after an initial suspension.
Amazon and 21 Air expressed condolences to those affected and said they would cooperate with the investigation.
Authorities have not determined what caused the aircraft to overrun the runway. The recovery of the recorders marks an important step, but the NTSB cautioned that establishing a probable cause would require a complete investigation.
