Miami Airport Lacked a Key Runway Safety System When Amazon Air Cargo Plane Crashed and Caught Fire, Killing at Least 5

An Amazon cargo jet's deadly runway overrun in Miami is under federal investigation, with questions now focusing on its landing and a safety feature the airport lacked.

The Boeing 767 crossed a road, hit vehicles, and erupted in flames. But investigators may find an important part of the story in the moments before it ever left the runway.

At least five people were killed and five others injured in Sunday's crash. As officials examine what went wrong, experts have pointed to how far the aircraft may have traveled before touching down.

And beyond the runway itself, another detail has emerged: Miami International Airport did not have a runway arresting system designed to help stop aircraft after an overrun.

Five Dead After Cargo Plane Leaves Runway

The Amazon Air cargo plane was arriving at Miami International Airport from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it overran Runway 30 at about 2 p.m. Sunday, September 6.

The aircraft, a Boeing 767-300 operating as 21 Air Flight 7598, continued beyond the airport grounds. It crossed a perimeter road used by workers and nearby businesses, struck multiple vehicles, and caught fire.

Miami-Dade County Mayor Eileen Higgins said five people were killed and five others were injured. Three of the injured were in critical condition, while two were hospitalized with less severe injuries.

It was not immediately clear whether the pilots survived or whether all five people who died had been in vehicles struck by the aircraft.

Dispatch audio initially indicated that a deceased person had been found beneath the plane's right wing. Earlier audio also indicated that the aircraft struck a truck after leaving airport property.

The crash left the aircraft scorched as flames and thick smoke rose around it. Emergency crews rushed to the scene while people remained trapped in the cockpit and vehicles.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Raied "Ray" Jadallah said the pilot and copilot were trapped in the cockpit. Some people were also trapped inside cars, while rescue crews had to extricate another person from beneath a vehicle.

One warning captured in emergency dispatch audio showed what responders were approaching.

"Guys, the plane's on fire, plane's on fire, put your game faces on," a responder said.

Amazon said it was gathering information and working with local officials. The company said its priority was the safety and care of everyone involved.

But once the immediate emergency response was underway, attention turned to a question the visible wreckage alone could not answer: Why did Flight 7598 run out of runway?

Investigators Look at the Landing

The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the crash, with Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy scheduled to discuss the agency's plans Monday.

One of the issues investigators are likely to examine is where on the runway the Boeing 767 actually touched down, according to The Associated Press.

Typically, an aircraft's landing zone is within the first 3,000 feet of a runway.

Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said that if the plane was beyond that area, the pilots should have aborted the landing and gone around to make another attempt.

That possibility became particularly notable because of video showing the aircraft during its approach to the runway.

Mary Schiavo, a pilot and former inspector general of the Transportation Department, said footage posted online appeared to show the cargo plane floating above the runway for an extended period.

According to Schiavo, the aircraft appeared to remain above the runway without flaring its nose upward to bring the main landing gear onto the ground.

A video posted online showed the Boeing 767 during the landing sequence before it ultimately continued beyond the runway.

The footage alone does not establish why the aircraft overran the runway, and federal investigators have not announced a cause.

Still, the amount of usable runway remaining after touchdown is expected to be among the factors investigators consider.

Weather Could Become Part of the Investigation

It was not raining at the airport at the time of the crash, according to the AP. However, dark storm clouds were nearby, and strong winds had been reported.

Schiavo said a tailwind could have contributed to the aircraft traveling farther down the runway before landing.

"A tailwind would certainly add to your troubles if you've already given up a good chunk of the runway by not touching down and landing right away," she said.

That does not mean a tailwind caused the crash. The NTSB has not determined what led Flight 7598 to overrun the runway.

Investigators will have to establish the aircraft's touchdown point, its speed, the conditions at the time, and other evidence before determining what happened.

But even after the plane passed the end of Runway 30, there was another potential layer of protection that has become part of the discussion.

Miami International Airport did not have it.

Miami Airport Lacked an Arresting System

Miami International Airport was not equipped with the type of runway arresting system that the Federal Aviation Administration says has been installed at more than 120 airports across the country.

Known as an Engineered Materials Arresting System, or EMAS, the safety feature is intended to stop an aircraft that goes beyond the end of a runway.

The system uses beds of lightweight, crushable material. When an aircraft enters the bed, the material gives way beneath its wheels and helps slow the plane.

In other words, the system is designed for the kind of dangerous situation in which an aircraft cannot stop before reaching the runway's end.

The FAA has credited such systems with helping save at least 497 lives aboard aircraft involved in runway overruns.

Miami International Airport did not have one when Flight 7598 continued off Runway 30, crossed the perimeter road, struck vehicles, and caught fire.

The available reporting does not establish that an EMAS installation would have stopped Flight 7598 in Sunday's specific circumstances. Investigators also have not determined whether the absence of the system played a role in the deaths or injuries.

What is known is that the airport lacked a safety system specifically designed to help stop planes that go beyond a runway.

That detail now sits alongside the other major question investigators face: How much runway was already behind the Boeing 767 when its wheels finally touched down?

As federal investigators work to answer those questions, records from the emergency response show what crews encountered after the aircraft crossed the airport boundary.

What Crews Found Beyond the Airport Boundary

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue received reports at 1:55 p.m. of a hazardous situation involving a cargo plane that had struck multiple vehicles near the airport.

More than 60 units and approximately 200 personnel responded, the department said. They found the aircraft beyond the airport's operational boundary, with heavy flames and smoke visible.

Firefighters encountered what the department described as a complex engine compartment fire. Specialized airport firefighting units used foam to extinguish the flames while other crews searched for victims.

One person was trapped beneath a vehicle and had to be freed by specialized technical rescue personnel. Hazardous materials crews also shut down the aircraft's engine and worked to contain a fuel leak.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue transported five patients to local hospitals. By the department's 6:25 p.m. update, crews had shifted into a supporting role while continuing to assist other agencies and mitigate the fuel leak.

Officials said there was no wider public safety concern for the Miami-Dade community, but asked people to avoid the area while emergency work continued.

The First Signs of the Crash Reached Nearby Homes

The impact was strong enough to shake a home in a nearby neighborhood. Jose Sanchez, who lives along Northwest 38th Terrace, initially thought he had heard an explosion or a truck crash.

"An explosion or truck, maybe, exploded or something like that," Sanchez told CBS News Miami. "But for the house to shake – it wasn't normal."

When Sanchez stepped outside, he began to smell smoke even though he could not see it rising from the crash site. "Then I started to smell some smoke," Sanchez said. "As I stepped outside, it got stronger."

His home was not damaged, but he said the deaths made the crash's proximity difficult to process. "Just the fact that it happened so close," Sanchez said. "I feel very bad for the people, the victims and their families."

Other residents described a sudden surge of emergency activity around MIA. "I looked and saw the tail and there was a lot of emergency vehicles headed in this direction. It's crazy," one resident told CNN.

Another resident noticed that the normal flow of aircraft overhead had abruptly stopped. "We live right where flights come in, in the pattern, and all of a sudden no flights and then we saw a ground stop," the resident told 7News Miami.

A family member of another person hospitalized at Ryder Trauma Center said their loved one was doing okay. Officials also established a Missing Family Hotline at 305-471-2400 for people trying to locate relatives.

One Question Remained After Flight 7598 Left the Runway

The crash disrupted operations at MIA while emergency crews worked near the runway.

On X, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said officials issued a full ground stop as first responders assessed the scene. He warned travelers to expect significant delays and possible cancellations.

Duffy also said the Federal Aviation Administration would send inspectors to investigate.

The agency's initial account established the flight's route and the basic sequence before the crash. Flight 7598 had departed San Juan and overran the runway after landing in Miami, the FAA said.

MIA also confirmed that the shutdown extended across its airfield. The airport said all runways and taxiways were closed and that a full ground stop was in effect.

Passengers with flights scheduled that day were advised to check directly with their airlines for flight status updates before heading to the airport.

On the other hand, the NTSB separately said it was gathering information about the incident and would provide updates as additional information became available.

It remains unclear why the aircraft was unable to stop. The plane was traveling nearly 130 mph when it left the usable portion of the runway, according to Flightradar24 data cited by CNN.

The same outlet also reviewed air traffic control audio from before the landing and found that the pilots did not declare an emergency. Neither detail establishes what caused the aircraft to overrun the runway.

With the cause still undetermined, aviation expert William Shepard pointed to several factors investigators may examine. He first emphasized the significance of an aircraft traveling beyond the airport property.

"Obviously, you never want this to transpire, and you certainly don't want an aircraft to have this kind of trouble, but certainly not to breach the perimeter of the airport property, and to go off the runway," Shepard said in a CBS Miami interview.

Weather could be among the factors investigators consider.

Shepard noted that serious thunderstorms had moved through South Florida that Sunday afternoon. "We don't know if there was heavy rain at that particular point," Shepard told CBS News Miami. "That'll be one of the things that the NTSB is looking at.

Such conditions can affect how much distance an aircraft needs to stop. "When that type of thing happens, it obviously increases the landing distance," Shepard said, adding that it "puts a lot of other factors into play."

Shepard also pointed to the aircraft's landing gear as a potential area of examination.

"From the video you have shown us, what we've seen is that this aircraft came to rest without the front landing gear, the nose landing gear, as we call it, in place," Shepard said.

The Radio Warning Crews Heard Before Reaching the Scene

Before investigators could begin answering those questions, first responders had a more immediate problem. Dispatch audio captured a brief warning as crews moved toward the burning aircraft.

"Guys, the plane's on fire. Plane's on fire. Put your game faces on," a first responder said in audio obtained by Broadcastify. Another portion of the recording referred to "one patient" following the crash, according to TMZ.

What Amazon Said as the Human Toll Became Clear

Amazon initially confirmed on X that the aircraft was operating for Amazon Air and was operated by 21Air. Spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the incident occurred as the plane was attempting to land at the Miami airport.

The representative described the situation as fast-moving and said the company was still gathering information.

She also said that Amazon was working with local authorities and officials to understand what had happened. The company's immediate priority was the "safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved."

Nantel said the aircraft had been attempting to land when the incident occurred and that Amazon would cooperate fully with the investigation.

She also said that Amazon was heartbroken by the loss of life. "Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss," she added.

In a separate social media post, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava initially said officials were closely monitoring the situation as Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and airport teams responded.

In a later update, she said she was at MIA receiving a briefing from the FAA as response and investigation efforts continued. Local teams remained in close coordination with federal partners, she said.

The photo showed Cava speaking with officials during a briefing near Miami International Airport. Several people are gathered around her, including a man holding a communication device.

21Air CEO Keith Winters also addressed the crash in a separate statement. "We are devastated by the accident involving one of our aircraft in Miami today," Winters said.

He said the company's priorities were supporting those affected, assisting authorities, and providing accurate information as it became available. 21Air was cooperating with the NTSB, the FAA, and local authorities, Winters said. "The circumstances of the accident are under investigation," he said.