Amazon has suspended its use of the private cargo carrier 21 Air after one of its planes crashed in Miami, resulting in five fatalities. The decision followed a review of the circumstances surrounding the September 6 incident, which occurred as Amazon was supporting the National Transportation Safety Board's investigation.
"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," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel stated. The company will reroute shipments previously handled by 21 Air to other carriers, including Sun Country Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Transport International, ABX Air, ASL Airlines, and Carojet.
North Carolina-based 21 Air, which specializes in cargo shipments to and from Mexico, said it is focused on supporting those affected by the crash and cooperating with investigators. The company maintains confidence in its safety policies and procedures.
However, interviews and records cited by CBS News suggest a history of safety issues at 21 Air. Former employees have claimed they were dismissed after raising safety concerns. One pilot, Karl Seuring, who has over three decades of experience, filed a complaint alleging he was told "It's not going to change" when he voiced safety concerns to a manager. His retaliatory firing case, initially rejected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is still pending before a Department of Labor tribunal.
Documents reviewed by CBS News indicate that pilots' safety complaints regarding unairworthy aircraft, insufficient flight crew rest periods, and language barriers among flight crews were allegedly overlooked by 21 Air management. Seuring's attorney stated that another pilot was pressured to fly flights that violated safety regulations regarding rest periods.
One incident described in tribunal testimony involved a 21 Air plane that experienced a continuous acceleration problem, exceeding safe speeds for its wing flaps, causing the pilot to feel "concerned for my own safety." Another instance involved a flight from Alabama to Trinidad that allegedly experienced a pressurization issue, necessitating an emergency diversion to Puerto Rico. The pilot in that situation reportedly lacked the ability to command the operation, requiring first officers to intervene.
In contrast, an attorney for one of the involved pilots stated that the accuser had "anger at the company because he was fired." Another former 21 Air pilot testified that reporting safety issues was discouraged, and concerns were often suppressed unless significant pressure was applied, which could lead to negative repercussions from company leadership.
The five victims of the crash were identified as Rolando Aleman, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47. The pilots of the Boeing 767 jet, Joseph Carroll, 55, and Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, were released from the hospital following the incident.
The cause of the crash is under investigation. A preliminary report from the Federal Aviation Administration noted that the Miami airport is not equipped with an Engineered Materials Arresting System, a safety feature designed to stop aircraft that overrun runways. This system has been installed at over 120 airports nationwide.