Five people died and airport operations halted after an Amazon-branded cargo jet overran a runway at Miami International Airport and tore across a nearby road.
Story Snapshot
- Federal Aviation Administration confirmed a Boeing 767-300 overran a runway at Miami after a San Juan flight.
- Officials reported five dead and five injured as rescuers fought fire and a fuel leak.
- The jet crossed a road near airport warehouses, damaging vehicles and infrastructure.
- Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board opened investigations.
What Officials Confirmed About the Crash
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) officials said 21 Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft, overran a runway after landing at Miami International Airport around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday. The flight departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The FAA said it will investigate the incident, and early reports identified the airplane with Amazon branding involved in the landing overrun.
Miami-Dade County officials said at least five people were killed and five were injured. Three people suffered critical injuries, and two others were hospitalized with less severe injuries. Officials cautioned that these numbers were preliminary and did not yet separate victims who were on the aircraft from those on the ground. Crews reported a difficult scene with fire, heavy wreckage, and an active fuel leak.
Emergency Response and Airport Disruptions
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue described a large response with about 200 personnel and nearly 60 rescue units. Firefighters battled an aircraft fire while teams worked to contain leaking fuel and reach victims in damaged vehicles and aircraft sections. The response effort focused on stabilizing the area near the runway end and the adjoining road while preventing ignition from spilled fuel and hot surfaces in high heat conditions.
Airport managers halted operations after the jet came to rest beyond the runway end near the northwest side of the field. All runways and taxiways were temporarily closed. A ground stop forced inbound flights to hold or divert while crews cleared debris and inspected pavement. Officials warned travelers to expect delays and cancellations as they reopened movement areas in phases to restore safe operations.
Path of the Aircraft and Damage on the Ground
Authorities said the aircraft crossed a perimeter and plowed across a road used by warehouse workers and surrounding businesses after leaving the paved runway surface. The movement damaged vehicles and infrastructure near the airport fence line before the aircraft stopped. The path complicated rescue work, since responders needed to control vehicle hazards and fuel runoff while also reaching people in multiple locations across the scene.
Amazon acknowledged the incident in a statement and said its priority was the safety and care of everyone involved. The company identified the operation as handled by 21 Air, a contractor that flies cargo services using widebody aircraft for Amazon’s network. The statement did not offer details about crew identities or cargo, and it deferred to investigators for cause and sequence of events.
What Investigators Will Look For Next
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the FAA started formal inquiries into the overrun. Investigators typically secure flight recorders, examine brakes, tires, thrust reversers, and spoilers, and review runway conditions, weather, and crew actions. They also study loading and performance data to assess landing distance margins. Early public records show runway excursions are among the most frequent runway safety accidents worldwide, making this line of inquiry familiar to safety teams.
🚨 Update: Deadly Cargo Plane Crash at Miami International Airporthttps://t.co/jkHboxP0s5
when you realize Amazon owns Zoox, the direct competitor to the Tesla Robotaxi…
It overran the runway killing 5 people#MiamiCrash #AviationNews #AmazonAir
— LEANDRO VILLA FRANCA (@LEANDROVILLAFR1) September 7, 2026
Officials did not identify a cause. Investigators will analyze cockpit voice and flight data recordings, maintenance records, and airport operations logs before issuing findings. That process often takes months. For now, authorities are focused on victim identification, support for families, and restoring safe airport operations. The agencies promised public updates as facts develop, and they asked the public to avoid speculation while evidence is collected and verified.
Sources:
youtube.com, faa.gov, apnews.com, trtworld.com, abcnews.com, foxnews.com, miamiherald.com
