Amazon Cargo Plane Pilots Warned of Excessive Speed Before Deadly Miami Crash, Report Says
A National Transportation Safety Board report details automated warnings and pilot communications regarding the plane's speed prior to its runway overrun and fatal collision.
Pilots of an Amazon cargo plane that crashed at Miami International Airport on September 6, killing five people on the ground, received unanswered automated warnings about the aircraft's excessive speed, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The 21 Air flight, operated by Amazon, overran the runway, collided with two vehicles, and resulted in the deaths of five individuals on the ground and serious injuries to three others. The two crew members aboard the plane sustained minor injuries.
The NTSB report included crash recordings that highlighted an automated message noting the plane's high speed. "The captain called for flaps to be set to 20 degrees, and the FO [first officer] cautioned they were too fast," the report stated. "The FO made additional comments regarding the airplane’s excessive speed throughout the remainder of the recording. There was not a consistent verbal response to the comments about speed."
Multiple electronic warnings were issued, and seconds later, the autopilot appeared to disconnect. After the plane touched down, the pilot was heard calling for a "go-around," an emergency procedure for an aborted landing.
The plane touched down approximately 3,750 feet past the intended landing zone at about 184 mph. It subsequently crashed into a Ford Econoline passenger van traveling on a road parallel to the airport. Seven people were in the van; five died, and two were seriously injured. The plane then collided with a Toyota Corolla Cross SUV, injuring its driver. The aircraft also struck a chain-link fence before coming to rest about 1,200 feet from the runway.
According to the report, the pilots did not deploy the plane's speed brakes or thrust reversers. Air traffic controllers did not provide wind information to the cargo plane before touchdown. Although a controller had informed another flight of a 22 mph wind gust approximately four minutes before the landing, the Amazon cargo plane was not on the same frequency and did not receive this information.
The pilots have been identified as Captain Joseph Carroll, 55, and First Officer Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37. The Miami Herald reported they were released from the hospital shortly after the crash. The NTSB report noted that September 6 was their first day working together. Carroll had flown a round-trip flight from Miami to Bogotá, Colombia, the day prior, while Silva Molina had completed a Miami to Baltimore round-trip three days before the incident. Carroll had approximately 7,627 total flight hours and was hired by 21 Air in April. Silva Molina had about 2,800 flight hours and was hired in February 2025.
The aircraft, a Boeing 767 manufactured in June 1994, sustained substantial damage, including a fire on the right wing. The NTSB's 12-page report provided extensive details about the plane and the crash but did not conclude the cause of the accident.
Firefighters arrived on the scene about 30 seconds after the crash to find victims trapped inside their vehicles, according to Fire Chief Raied Jadallah. Emergency radio dispatch obtained by the Miami Herald captured a firefighter saying, "The plane is on fire. The plane is on fire." One person was trapped beneath a struck vehicle and required extrication by specialized rescue personnel. Fire crews worked to stop a fuel leak at the scene.
The five victims who died were identified as Rolando Aleman, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
Pablo Rojas, an attorney representing one of the survivors, Sebastian Perdomo Torres, told CBS News that the NTSB's findings do not answer all his questions and that he will conduct an independent review of the airline's operations.
On September 13, Amazon announced it would pause operations with 21 Air following the crash. "After the tragic incident last weekend, we’ve spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we’ve decided to pause our operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598," spokesperson Kelly Nantel stated. Nantel added that the loss of life and injuries weigh heavily on Amazon and that the company remains committed to supporting the NTSB's investigation.