Amazon cargo plane overshoots Miami runway, killing five people and injuring five
A Boeing 767 cargo aircraft operating for Amazon Prime Air overshot the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, colliding with ground vehicles and sparking a fire that killed five people.
Runway excursion and collision
On Sunday, 6 September 2026, around 14:00 local time (19:00 GMT), an Amazon Prime Air cargo flight overshot the runway while landing at Miami International Airport. The aircraft, a Boeing 767-300 operating as flight 7598 by charter carrier 21 Air, had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. During the landing roll, the aircraft failed to stop on the diagonal runway, broke through the airport boundary, and crossed onto an adjacent road used by warehouse employees and local businesses. The plane struck multiple ground vehicles and came to rest on its belly next to two tractor-trailers in the northwest area of the airfield. A fire broke out around the engines immediately after the collision, sending thick black smoke across the perimeter.
- Flight 7598 departs San Juan, Puerto Rico for Miami
- Boeing 767-300 overshoots runway, strikes ground vehicles, and catches fire
- Miami International Airport halts ground movements and closes taxiways
- Flight delays reach approximately 250 amid holiday travel disruptions
Casualties and emergency response
The crash resulted in five confirmed deaths and five injuries. Miami-Dade County officials reported that three of the injured victims were transported to local hospitals in critical condition, while two others sustained less severe injuries. First responders from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue arrived within seconds, deploying over 60 units and 200 firefighters to combat the fire and secure the wreckage. Rescue crews applied specialized foam to control a serious fuel leak while extricating individuals trapped inside and beneath damaged vehicles. Firefighters also worked to free the pilot and co-pilot from the cockpit. Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava addressed the rescue efforts during an evening press briefing.
We know now that five people have lost their lives and another five have been injured.
- Fatalities
- 5 people
- Critical injuries
- 3 people
- Less severe injuries
- 2 people
Weather conditions and aircraft background
Meteorological observations at the time of the landing indicated severe weather in Miami, with heavy rainstorms and wind gusts reaching 48 km/h. The aircraft was traveling at approximately 112 knots (about 200 km/h) when it left the paved surface of the runway. Flightradar24 data shows the Boeing 767-300 was 32 years old, having operated as a passenger airliner for more than two decades before its conversion into a freighter in 2015. Aviation safety specialists examining landing footage noted that the plane floated above the runway without planting its nose gear promptly, consuming available stopping distance before reaching the overrun area.
Federal investigation and airport disruption
The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board opened investigations to identify the factors leading to the accident. The NTSB announced that investigators are gathering maintenance and flight recorder information ahead of a scheduled briefing on Monday. Following the crash, airport officials closed all runways and instituted a ground stop from 15:00, halting both arrivals and departures. The disruption caused delays for roughly 250 flights by late Sunday afternoon during the busy Labor Day holiday weekend. Amazon representatives confirmed that the company is cooperating directly with federal authorities and local emergency services.
