Amazon Cargo Jet's Fatal Crash in Miami Was 'Too Fast' for Landing
An investigation into a deadly airport accident in Miami has revealed that an Amazon cargo jet was traveling too fast before it overran a runway and struck two vehicles, killing five people. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Boeing 767-33A cargo jet, identified as 21 Air Flight 7598, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico when the accident occurred. The NTSB released a transcript of cockpit communications from the aircraft's CVR, which showed one pilot warning that the plane was moving too fast as the crew prepared to land.
The recording also captured several automated warnings from the Ground Proximity Warning System, including 'sink rate' and 'too low terrain' alerts. The NTSB said the nose and right main landing gear touched down at a groundspeed of 158 knots (about 182 mph), while the left main landing gear touched down several seconds later at 134 knots. About 15 seconds before the recording ended, a pilot called for a 'go-around,' but it appears that the plane was too far gone to recover.
Investigators said they plan to interview the pilots to learn more about how they were operating the aircraft's controls. The NTSB also noted that there were no hazardous materials on board the jet, which was carrying about 32,000 pounds of cargo, mostly contact lenses.