Pilots in Fatal Amazon Cargo Jet Crash Were Unaware of Wind Conditions, NTSB Finds

The pilots of an Amazon-chartered cargo plane that crashed in Miami last month, killing five people, were unaware of critical wind conditions before attempting to land, according to a preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The investigation points to a combination of excessive speed, unused braking systems, and a lack of required information from air traffic control contributing to the fatal runway overrun.

NTSB Preliminary Findings

The NTSB report, released Thursday, provides the first detailed account of the September 6 accident involving a Boeing 767-300 freighter operated by 21 Air for Amazon's logistics network, Amazon Air. The aircraft overran a runway at Miami International Airport, striking two vehicles on the ground.

Investigators found that a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controller did not provide the flight crew with wind information as required before issuing landing clearance. The report notes that about four minutes earlier, the controller told another flight that winds were from 190° at 19 knots, with gusts up to 22 knots. The 21 Air flight was not on the same radio frequency at that time and did not receive this information.

Cockpit and Landing Failures

Flight data recorder evidence indicates a series of issues during the final approach and landing. The NTSB highlighted several key points:

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• The first officer cautioned the captain that they were flying "too fast" more than a minute before touchdown and made other comments about the plane's excessive speed.
• The captain did not verbally acknowledge all of the first officer's warnings and reportedly considered aborting the landing only after the aircraft was already on the ground.
• The aircraft touched down approximately 3,750 feet past the runway's start at a groundspeed of 160 knots (184 mph).
• Critical deceleration systems were not used; the speed brakes remained stowed and the thrust reversers did not deploy.

Company and Regulatory Response

Following the accident, Amazon (AMZN) paused its use of 21 Air. The carrier said in a statement that its leadership is "actively engaged in managing operational risk" and will "take all appropriate action to improve our safety based on the facts as they are established.”

Amazon stated it remains committed to supporting the NTSB’s ongoing investigation. The FAA did not provide an immediate comment on the NTSB's findings regarding its air traffic controller. The investigation into one of the deadliest U.S. runway accidents in recent years is continuing.