A preliminary investigation into the Amazon cargo plane crash in Miami reveals that the pilot tried to abort the landing and take off again after the aircraft's wheels had already touched the runway.
The Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon Prime Air crashed off the runway at Miami International Airport last Sunday, veering approximately 396 meters off the runway and striking two vehicles, resulting in five deaths and five injuries.
Recently, initial findings from the investigation were disclosed. Jennifer Homendy, chair of the NTSB, stated that officials will interview both pilots on Wednesday before releasing cockpit voice recorder data, which is expected to shed light on the moments leading up to the accident.
Flight data shows that about 30 seconds before the recording ended, the aircraft’s nose gear and right main landing gear touched down at 158 knots, while 19 seconds before the end, the left main landing gear touched down at 134 knots.
A few seconds later, the brakes were released and the pilots increased engine thrust consistent with an attempted go-around, indicating a possible late attempt to abort the landing after touchdown.
However, 11 seconds before the recording ended, the pilots reduced engine thrust back to idle and reapplied the brakes; at the end of the recording, the plane's ground speed was still 65 knots.
The NTSB also noted no evidence from the flight data recorder that the pilots deployed spoilers or used the engine thrust reversal system to assist in slowing the aircraft.
Jennifer Homendy leads a 32-person investigation team currently at Miami International Airport. The NTSB reopened one of the two runways closed after the accident, allowing eastbound flights to resume Tuesday evening.
The flight in question was on its third leg of the day, traveling from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Earlier, it flew from Cincinnati to Miami, then Miami to San Juan, before the accident occurred on the return to Miami around 13:53 local time.
The 55-year-old captain was certified to fly the Boeing 767 as of May 2024 and has 7,145 total flight hours. The 37-year-old first officer received certification for the 767 in April 2025 and has 2,655 flight hours.
The investigation continues, with officials analyzing cockpit voice recordings and pilot interviews to determine the true cause of the crash.
.source:channelnewsasia
Click to read related newsInternational news