The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is preparing to release information from the cockpit voice recorder of an Amazon Air cargo plane that crashed at Miami International Airport on Sunday, killing five individuals. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy stated that investigators expect to interview the two pilots who were aboard the aircraft.
Investigators have recovered the cockpit voice recorder, which contains two hours of high-quality audio, and the flight data recorder, which holds 55 hours of data. Preliminary analysis of the data indicates that the plane was descending for landing. However, several seconds before the recording ended, the throttles increased, consistent with a "go-around thrust," according to NTSB investigator Chihoon Shin. Shortly after, brakes were reapplied and continued to be used until the recording stopped, but there was no indication that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed.
The cargo plane, identified as Amazon Air Flight 7598, was en route from Puerto Rico and was carrying approximately 32,000 pounds of cargo, primarily contact lenses. The flight overran the runway upon arrival at Miami International Airport, colliding with a Ford Econoline van owned by an aircraft cleaning company. Seven people were inside the van at the time of the incident.
The five deceased individuals have been identified by the Miami-Dade County Sheriff's Office as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Narajo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47. The two pilots of the aircraft sustained injuries but have since been released from the hospital, according to the sheriff's office.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the scene. The investigation into the precise cause of the crash is ongoing.