The captain of the Amazon Prime cargo plane that crashed in Miami, killing five people, is a former U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter instructor with 15 years of military service. Joseph Carroll, 55, was one of two crew members who survived the incident at Miami International Airport on Sunday.
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators revealed Tuesday that flight data suggests the Boeing 767 may have attempted to abort its landing in its final moments. According to NTSB engineer Chihoon Shin, the plane's landing gear touched down, but roughly 11 seconds later, the throttles were increased to go-around thrust before being reduced to idle and brakes were reapplied. Investigators noted no indication of speed brakes or thrust reversers being deployed, which would have aided in slowing the aircraft.
An experienced 767 pilot, speaking anonymously, interpreted the data as a "a royal screw up." The pilot suggested the aircraft commander landed too far down the runway, should have initiated a go-around earlier, and then mistakenly failed to use thrust reverses and ground spoilers. The realization that there was insufficient runway for a go-around led to a last-ditch braking attempt, which was too late.
Carroll joined the Army in 1997, initially as an air traffic controller before becoming a Black Hawk pilot and instructor. He later served as an aviation safety officer and then as VP of flight operations at a drone company before transitioning to commercial airline flying in 2018. Carroll earned his type rating for the Boeing 767 in May, prior to the incident.
First Officer Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, also survived the crash. He has accumulated 2,655 flying hours, while Carroll had 7,145 hours. Silva, originally from Colombia, earned an aeronautical engineering degree before attending flight school in Miami.
The five victims killed in the crash were identified as Rolando Aleman, 55, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53, Julio C Pineda, 75, Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53, and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo. The plane overran Runway 30 at Miami International Airport, struck two vehicles, and came to rest 1,300 feet past the tarmac. The aircraft was on its third trip of the day, arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
The NTSB is investigating the cause of the crash. A preliminary FAA report indicated that Miami International Airport is not equipped with an Engineered Materials Arresting System, a safety feature designed to stop overshooting aircraft. The lawsuit filed by the widow of one of the victims alleges pilot error, inadequate training, and the age of the 32-year-old aircraft as contributing factors.