Amazon cargo plane crash: NTSB recovers flight recorders at Miami airport as victim recovery continues

Investigators have recovered both flight recorders from the Amazon cargo plane that crashed at Miami International Airport, but the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) says the immediate priority remains recovering the victims. Five people were killed and five others seriously injured after a Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air overshot the runway shortly before 14:00 local time on Sunday.

The aircraft, which was carrying two crew members, had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on its third flight of the day, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said during a press conference at Miami International Airport on Monday. After overrunning the runway, the aircraft struck navigational aids and other airport equipment before crashing into a white Ford van operated by a contract cleaning company. The van was carrying seven people.

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The aircraft then broke through a perimeter fence and collided with a Toyota Corolla carrying three passengers. It eventually came to rest around 1,300ft (394m) beyond the runway. Homendy said the crash site was "devastating", with debris from the aircraft, vehicles and airport fencing spread across the area. "It's hard to see, and I'm sure very difficult for the first responders as well," she said. She stressed that investigators were still in the early stages of determining what happened and that no conclusions could yet be drawn about the cause of the accident.

Homendy said recovering victims' bodies was the current priority, adding: “The investigation and access to the aircraft, as well as evidence, can wait.” The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have now been recovered and will be transported to NTSB headquarters for detailed examination. Investigators are expected to study the aircraft's flight history, the crew's experience and training, radar information and aircraft performance. Separate teams will inspect the plane's systems and engines, while a meteorologist will assess weather conditions during the landing.

The NTSB will also investigate whether the runway should have been equipped with an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), which is designed to help slow and stop aircraft that overrun a runway. Homendy described the question of whether an EMAS system should have been installed as a 'key' part of the investigation. The investigation remains in the fact-finding stage, and officials have cautioned against drawing conclusions about the cause of the crash until all available evidence has been examined.