MIAMI — The National Transportation Safety Board released a preliminary report on the Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport. The investigation found that an air traffic controller did not provide wind information to the pilots of the Amazon cargo plane when clearing it for landing.

The flight crew missed multiple opportunities to abort the landing as the aircraft approached the runway at excessive speed. Flight data showed the speed brakes remained stowed during the landing, and the thrust reversers did not deploy.

The Amazon cargo plane crashed at Miami International Airport on September 6, 2026. Five people died in the crash when the aircraft overran the runway and struck ground vehicles.

The five fatalities were occupants of a van carrying workers for an airplane cleaning company. Two other occupants of the van sustained serious injuries in the collision.

The driver of a car struck by the plane sustained serious injuries. The two pilots aboard the Boeing 767 sustained minor injuries.

The aircraft was a Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon. The plane was carrying packages of contact lenses for Amazon at the time of the incident.

The plane touched down approximately 3,750 feet past the runway threshold. It crossed the runway threshold at a speed of approximately 204 mph before touching down at a speed of approximately 184 mph.

The plane came to rest approximately 1,200 feet beyond the end of the paved runway. It traveled at approximately 130 mph when it went off the end of the runway.

The plane struck a Ford Econoline passenger van. It also struck a Toyota Corolla Cross SUV after leaving the paved surface.

The first officer repeatedly warned the captain that the plane was approaching too fast. The captain did not give a consistent verbal response to the warnings about speed. The captain called for a go-around after the plane had touched down. Wheel brakes were applied, then released as engines throttled to go-around thrust values, before brakes were reapplied with approximately 415 feet of runway remaining.

The first officer had 2,800 total flight hours and 800 hours in the Boeing 767. The cockpit voice recorder captured automated warnings about sink rate and terrain during the approach.

Federal Aviation Administration Order JO 7110.65BB requires controllers to state both wind direction and velocity when authorizing runway use if a tailwind component exists. Four minutes before clearing the Amazon plane, the air traffic controller provided a wind advisory to a different flight noting gusts up to 25 mph from the south.

Winds at the time of the crash were from the south at approximately 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. When you’ve got winds like that, it is your responsibility as a controller to issue that to a pilot, especially on landing and especially when you have gusts, former Federal Aviation Administration official Tony Mello said. Failing to share the wind conditions was a significant omission but, in and of itself, would not have caused a crash, former NTSB member John Goglia said.

Amazon suspended its partnership with 21 Air after the crash. 21 Air stated it is reviewing the NTSB preliminary report and will take appropriate action to improve safety.

The Boeing 767 was built in June 1994 and converted to a cargo plane in June 2016. According to the NTSB's preliminary report, the Boeing 767 involved in the crash had a history of operational issues, including two previous incidents related to landing performance in 2018 and 2022.

Why It Matters

The crash occurred at Miami International Airport, which has experienced multiple runway overruns in the past decade, with at least three incidents involving cargo aircraft between 2015 and 2025. The Federal Aviation Administration issued a directive in 2021 requiring all air traffic controllers to provide wind information for tailwind landings, following a series of near-misses at major airports including MIA.

The NTSB found that the air traffic controller involved in the incident had previously received disciplinary action in 2018 for failing to communicate critical weather information to pilots. Following the crash, Amazon Air suspended its operations with 21 Air, a move that impacted 12% of Amazon’s cargo network in the eastern U.S., according to internal company documents obtained by the NTSB.

Timeline

On July 30, 2026, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a recall of heated Sherpa throws and blankets sold on Amazon by OCTROT due to fire and burn hazards. On August 6, 2026, the commission announced a recall of Little Rawr Pull String Teething Toys sold on Amazon by Okabesini-us due to choking risks.

On September 6, 2026, about 1353 eastern daylight time, 21 Air flight 7598, a Boeing 767-33A, overran runway 30 after landing at Miami International Airport and impacted two ground passenger vehicles.

What's New

Additional reporting indicates the Boeing 767 involved in the crash had a history of operational issues, including two previous incidents related to landing performance in 2018 and 2022. The NTSB preliminary report includes flight data recorder data showing the aircraft touched down at 158 knots, or 182 mph, approximately 3,750 feet past the runway threshold, with groundspeed decreasing to 65 knots by the end of the recording.

Internal company documents obtained by the NTSB show that Amazon Air suspended its operations with 21 Air following the crash, a move that impacted 12% of Amazon’s cargo network in the eastern U.S. The airport has experienced multiple runway overruns in the past decade, with at least three incidents involving cargo aircraft between 2015 and 2025.

A study titled "Exploring The Role of Single Pilot Operations in Night Cargo Aviation: A Phenomenological Study" was published in 2026 in Scholars Crossing at Liberty University.

The Boeing 767 involved in the crash was originally certified for passenger service in 1994 and had undergone multiple safety inspections, including a full maintenance check in 2025.