The operator of the Amazon Prime Air cargo plane that crashed in Miami, killing five people, has a history of safety complaints from former employees who allege the company ignored concerns and fired whistleblowers. The North Carolina-based company, 21 Air, is controlled by Houston Astros owner Jim Crane through an LLC.
Several senior staff members filed complaints against 21 Air, with some expressing fears that a tragedy like the recent crash was inevitable. "It's something a lot of us ex-21 Air pilots have been anticipating for a while," retired 21 Air pilot Tony Bless told CBS News, citing ongoing issues with maintenance safety, pressure from chief pilot offices, and the hiring of unqualified pilots.
Whistleblowers have alleged that 21 Air failed to properly document safety concerns, hired pilots with English language deficiencies, and pressured pilots to exceed rest requirements to complete routes too quickly. "Unfortunately, 21 Air has a long-established history of safety problems," stated Karl Seuring, a veteran pilot who filed a legal complaint against the company. Seuring claimed that when he raised safety concerns, a 21 Air manager told him, "It's not going to change." He alleged he was fired over this complaint, though his claim was initially rejected by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA); an appeal is pending before a Department of Labor tribunal.
A former fighter pilot who reviewed safety policy for 21 Air wrote in his resignation letter that executives offered only "lip service" to safety protocols and took no action when issues were presented. Bruce Joseph, a former chief pilot for 21 Air, testified in his own Labor Department tribunal that he had "personal knowledge of people being discouraged" from documenting safety concerns. He alleged that the firm's former director of safety once advised him not to record anything in the company's safety management software before speaking with the then-CEO, Mike Mendez, fearing "the wrath of Mike."
Mendez, however, accused Joseph of fabricating claims and stated that Joseph was "fired from 21 Air and left under very bad circumstances." He denied any retaliation claims and insisted the company followed safety protocols. "My responsibility is to make sure we run a safe airline, not to hurt people and not to hide anything," Mendez testified.
Seuring also highlighted an incident in 2022 where a Boeing 767 experienced a rapid acceleration after takeoff due to a mechanical issue, raising concerns for his safety. He noted a "breakdown of communication" between the captain and first officer following the incident, with no debrief or discussion. Another 21 Air pilot, Johnny Salmonson, was allegedly pressured to fly with insufficient rest periods, leading to retaliation, according to Seuring's lawyer, Michael Anello.
Bless also claimed that the company routinely deferred maintenance on its aging fleet of converted passenger planes. He recalled an incident in 2022 where his plane's radar stopped working during a flight. Seuring mentioned issues including fuel leaks, radar problems, and smoke in the cockpit, adding that pilots were coached on how to report issues. The Boeing 767 involved in the recent Miami crash was approximately 33 years old; many airlines begin phasing out aircraft around 20-25 years of service.
The five individuals killed in the crash were part of a cleaning crew traveling in a van that was struck by the aircraft. The pilots, Captain Joseph Carroll, 55, and First Officer Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, survived but were hospitalized.