Key braking systems on an Amazon cargo jet did not deploy during a fatal runway overrun incident at Miami International Airport on Sunday, according to preliminary data from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).
The agency stated Tuesday that while the aircraft's wheel brakes were applied, available data shows that the speed brakes and thrust reversers did not engage. "There was "no indication in the recorded data that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed," said Chihoon Shin, the NTSB investigator in charge.
The Boeing 767 cargo plane, operating as Prime Air Flight 7598, overran Runway 30 during landing, striking two vehicles and resulting in the deaths of five people. An additional five individuals were injured.
Investigators are planning to interview the pilots involved in the incident. Shin emphasized that officials are not yet speculating on the cause of the crash or what might have happened differently. "When we analyze the full list of parameters, we'll have a better idea of the aircraft's performance during this landing. Was it normal? Was it not? And what was working and what was not," Shin stated.
The captain of the aircraft was 55 years old with 7,145 flight hours, according to a Class 1 medical certificate dated March 31, 2026. The first officer, 37, had 2,655 flight hours, with their Class 1 medical certificate issued on April 13, 2026.
Officials confirmed that the cargo on board consisted mainly of contact lenses, weighing 32,222 pounds, along with a flight kit. No hazardous materials were present on the aircraft.
Seven of the victims were in a van on airport property when the plane crashed through a fence and struck another vehicle before coming to a stop. The NTSB is continuing its investigation into the incident.