Five individuals lost their lives in a tragic incident at Miami International Airport when an Amazon cargo jet skidded off a runway. The victims were passengers in a van belonging to a cleaning company, which was struck by an SUV outside the airport premises, revealed Jennifer Homendy, the chairperson of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during a press briefing on Monday.
Homendy described the crash site as “utter devastation,” highlighting the extensive damage caused by the Boeing 767, including tire marks on the grass, a demolished van transporting the cleaning crew, damaged fencing, and an SUV in ruins outside the airport boundaries.
The NTSB has successfully retrieved both the voice and data recorders from the aircraft for further investigation. Homendy indicated that more details, possibly including the plane’s speed from the flight data recorder, would be disclosed on Tuesday.
Investigations are ongoing to determine if the aircraft landed too late to come to a safe stop. The absence of engineered material arresting systems (EMAS) at Miami airport, designed to prevent planes from overshooting runways, is being scrutinized by federal investigators. EMAS, present in over 120 U.S. airports, has been credited with saving numerous lives in runway overrun incidents.
The NTSB will delve into the necessity of EMAS at all airports following this tragedy, echoing back to a similar incident at Little Rock National Airport in 1999. The ill-fated Prime Air plane, resting near two semi-trucks post-crash, was captured intact despite the fire.
Experts suggest the cargo jet should have aborted landing if it exceeded the typical landing zone distance. Video footage indicates the plane remained airborne along the runway, prompting questions about the pilots’ decision-making during the landing approach.
The aircraft, operated by 21 Air and previously used for passenger flights, will undergo thorough scrutiny, including its maintenance history. The aftermath of the crash disrupted airport operations, with flights being affected due to runway closures. Amazon expressed condolences over the tragic loss of lives and pledged full cooperation with the investigation.
This incident is a stark reminder of the UPS plane crash in Louisville in the previous year, emphasizing the critical importance of aviation safety protocols in preventing such disasters.