NTSB Report Details How Amazon Plane Skidded Off Runway in Miami, Killing 5 People
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released its preliminary report detailing how an Amazon cargo plane overshot the runway at Miami International Airport last month, resulting in the deaths of five people in a ground van. The 12-page report, published Thursday, does not indicate a possible cause for the Boeing 767 accident that occurred on September 6, but provides details about the aircraft's speed and how it left the runway. According to the report, the plane touched down approximately 3,750 feet from the runway threshold, which measures 9,360 feet, at a ground speed of 160 knots, or about 184 mph. The report indicated that the plane reached the end of the runway at around 130 mph before leaving the paved surface and entering the grass, subsequently colliding with a van carrying workers from an aircraft cleaning company and an SUV, finally coming to a stop about 1,200 feet from the paved surface. Five of the seven cleaning company employees died, and five others were injured, including the SUV driver. Neither of the two pilots sustained serious injuries. The last recorded ground speed of the aircraft was around 75 mph, just after crossing a perimeter fence and the Northwest 67th Avenue in Miami. According to the report, data from one of the flight recorders showed that the aircraft's spoilers remained retracted and the thrust reversers did not deploy during landing and the landing roll. Wheel brakes were manually applied at a ground speed of 168 mph, but the brake pedals were released about eight seconds later when the speed dropped to 138 mph, and the 'throttle angle of both engines increased to thrust values and to the air' with about 930 feet of runway remaining, the report stated. About four seconds later, the wheel brakes were applied again when approximately 415 feet of runway remained, and the aircraft skidded off the runway, the report indicated. This account aligns with previously published information by the NTSB, which stated that one of the pilots attempted to warn the other that they were going too fast while approaching to land and that the aircraft had landed hard and briefly attempted to take off before the accident. A summary of the cockpit voice recordings prepared by the NTSB noted that the other pilot never gave a 'consistent verbal response' to the warnings. The preliminary report includes a summary of the cockpit recordings from the last minutes of the flight, which captured a series of automated warnings from the aircraft about descent speed and the terrain ahead. The report also includes information about the weather and wind conditions in the area during landing: according to sensors, the wind was 17 knots, or 19.5 mph, with gusts around 30 mph at the time of landing, when thunderstorms arrived in the area. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing. Following the incident, Amazon suspended its partnership with 21 Air, the cargo airline operating the flight, and several family members of those killed or injured in the accident have filed lawsuits. In a statement, 21 Air said they were reviewing the NTSB report and would 'take all appropriate measures to improve our safety based on the facts as they are established.' 'Since the accident, our focus has been on supporting all those affected, which includes providing resources to those injured, to the loved ones of those who lost their lives, and to our colleagues and business partners. We also continue to work closely with the NTSB as part of the investigation and will do so until it concludes,' the statement partially read.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
