The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the fatal crash of an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane at Miami International Airport on Sunday, with newly released data indicating the Boeing 767 may have attempted a go-around maneuver shortly before overshooting the runway. The incident resulted in the deaths of five individuals when the aircraft struck a cleaning van and an SUV after leaving the runway.
According to NTSB engineer Chihoon Shin, flight data recorders showed the plane touched down on Miami’s Runway 30, with its landing gear initially making contact. However, approximately 19 seconds before the recording ended, the brakes were released, and the throttles were advanced to a setting consistent with a go-around thrust. This action could suggest an attempt to abort the landing. Shortly after, the throttles were reduced to idle, and the brakes were reapplied, but the aircraft had insufficient runway to stop.
Investigators noted that the aircraft’s speed brakes and thrust reversers, which aid in deceleration, were not deployed. The NTSB has not yet determined which of the two crew members, Captain Joseph Carroll, 55, or First Officer Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, was piloting the aircraft during the critical final moments.
Captain Carroll, a U.S. Army veteran, spent 15 years in the military, serving as a Black Hawk helicopter instructor and aviation safety officer before transitioning to commercial aviation in 2018. His online resume indicates over 7,000 hours of flight experience, including a role as vice president of flight operations at a drone company after his military service. Carroll obtained his type rating for the Boeing 767 in May.
First Officer Silva Molina, who earned an aeronautical engineering degree before attending flight school in Miami, has 2,655 hours of flight experience. His LinkedIn profile describes him as a pilot who thrives in dynamic environments, committed to safe and efficient flight operations.
An experienced 767 pilot, speaking anonymously to the Daily Mail, suggested the data points to a significant pilot error. "He landed too far down the runway and should have gone around," the pilot stated. "It looks as though he allowed the airplane to touch down, started to apply brakes but forgot the thrust reverses and ground spoilers. He realized he didn’t have enough runway left and advanced the power. He then realized he didn’t have enough runway to take off and hit the brakes. It was too late to avoid going off the runway."
The flight, arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the aircraft's third of the day. The five victims killed in the incident have been identified as Rolando Aleman, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo.
A wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the pilots, Amazon, Amazon Air Cargo, and 21 Air, alleging negligence, inadequate training, and the age of the aircraft, which was 32 years old. The lawsuit claims the crash was a preventable disaster.
Miami International Airport is not equipped with an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS), a safety feature designed to help stop aircraft that overrun runways, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. This system has been installed at over 120 airports nationwide.