On 7 September 2026 a Boeing 767‑300 operated by 21 Air crashed during an attempted landing at Miami International Airport, killing five crew members and leaving five others seriously injured. The aircraft, scheduled to land after a flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico, overshot the runway, striking a cleaning van carrying seven passengers and a Toyota Corolla with three occupants before coming to rest roughly 1 300 ft beyond the runway’s end.
Flight recorders recovered
NTSB investigators retrieved the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage and have forwarded the units to their headquarters for detailed analysis. While the recovery of victims’ bodies remains the top priority, the agency will examine flight history, crew experience, radar and aircraft performance data, as well as the chemical and mechanical integrity of engines and systems.
Weather contributes to mystery
Early analyses by BBC Verify indicate a thunderstorm was active near the airport minutes before the incident, with wind gusts up to 26 knots (48 km/h). A meteorologist attached to the NTSB will assess the role of these conditions in the overrun.
EMAS goes under scrutiny
Investigators are also evaluating whether Miami International Airport’s runways were equipped with an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), a curb‑end technology designed to decelerate overrunning aircraft. A key piece of the investigation, the chairwoman of the NTSB stressed that the safety recommendation will hinge on this analysis.
Public assistance requested
The NTSB appealed to the public for photographs or videos captured in the crash vicinity that could aid the investigation. The agency emphasized the importance of implementing safety recommendations once the inquiry concludes to prevent future tragedies.
Impact on air traffic
Two of the airport’s four runways remain closed after the crash, and passengers are warned of further disruptions amid the Labor Day holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel periods in the United States. The incident jolted the region’s cargo aviation sector and raised safety questions across the industry.
Amazon expressed “heartbroken” sentiment over the loss of life and is working closely with authorities, while 21 Air stated it was co‑operating with the investigation and offered condolences to families.
View the official footage of the accident
Video shows damaged Amazon cargo plane after crash kills five
Read more on the investigation
Investigators begin work on why cargo plane overran Miami runway
