A Boeing 767 operated by Amazon Prime Air veered off the runway during its landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, ending up on an adjacent road, tilted and engulfed in flames, according to images shared by the New York Post and originally obtained by NBC 6 Miami.
The incident occurred at approximately 2:00 PM, as the aircraft was completing a flight from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Social media reports indicated that the plane exited runway 30 during its landing maneuver.
Footage from the scene showed the substantial cargo plane straddled across the road, with thick plumes of black smoke billowing from the fuselage and flames visible at various points on the structure. Cars and trucks were halted around the area as the emergency unfolded.
Witnesses on the scene could be heard exclaiming, "Oh my God!" as the remnants of the aircraft burned.
Despite the dramatic visuals, the fuselage of the plane appeared largely intact at the point where it came to rest on the roadway.
There were confirmed injuries in the incident, though the exact number and severity were not specified in early reports. The fact that it was not a passenger plane was quickly noted by several social media users as a possible factor limiting the human consequences of the accident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) immediately halted all ground operations at Miami Airport, preventing any aircraft from taking off as the emergency was addressed. The FAA described the incident as a "disabled aircraft on the runway" without providing additional details about the causes of the incident.
Additional videos circulating on social media showed the plane halted just beyond the end of the runway, suggesting a potential runway overrun during landing as the cause of the accident. The exact reasons for the incident had not been determined as of the initial reports.
This Sunday's accident is not the first to affect Amazon's cargo operations. In November 2024, a Boeing 767 operated by Cargojet for Amazon Prime Air overshot the north runway at Vancouver Airport without injuring its three crew members. The most severe incident in Amazon's cargo network remains the February 23, 2019, crash of Atlas Air Flight 3591, when a Boeing 767-300 operating for the company plunged into Trinity Bay, Texas, resulting in three fatalities.
Miami International Airport had already experienced another aviation incident this June, when an executive jet mistakenly entered an active runway while an American Airlines plane was taxiing for takeoff, forcing the crew to abort the maneuver. The FAA launched an investigation into that occurrence.
The investigation into the causes of the Amazon plane accident in Miami is ongoing, with updates from the FAA expected in the coming hours.
Common Questions About the Miami Cargo Plane Incident
What caused the Amazon cargo plane to catch fire?
The Amazon cargo plane caught fire after skidding off the runway during landing, but the exact cause of the incident is still under investigation by the FAA.
Were there any injuries reported in the Miami cargo plane accident?
Yes, there were confirmed injuries, but the exact number and severity have not been specified in the initial reports.
Has Amazon experienced similar incidents before?
Yes, Amazon's cargo operations have faced incidents before, including a runway overshoot in Vancouver in 2024 and a fatal crash in Texas in 2019.