Pilot warned 'too fast' before Amazon Air crash killed five in Miami
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
A pilot on the Amazon Air Boeing 767-300 freighter that crashed at Miami International Airport on September 6, 2026, warned the aircraft was traveling 'too fast' 1 minute 42 seconds before the cockpit voice recorder ended, according to NTSB data released September 9. The crash killed five people in a van on a public road after the aircraft breached the airport perimeter. The NTSB also reported repeated 'sink rate' and 'too low terrain' warnings in the final minute of the flight.
Key Facts
- The NTSB released preliminary cockpit voice recorder data on September 9, 2026, showing the pilot warned of excessive speed 1 minute 42 seconds before the recording ended.
- Five people died when the aircraft struck a van on a public road after breaching the airport perimeter on September 6, 2026.
- The final recorded groundspeed was 65 knots (about 75 mph), and no speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed, according to NTSB investigator Chihoon Shin.
- The captain, 55, had 7,145 flight hours and received his Boeing 767 type rating in May 2026; the first officer, 37, had 2,655 hours.
Cockpit Warnings
The NTSB reported that the pilot first voiced concern about the aircraft's speed 1 minute 42 seconds before the cockpit voice recorder ended, and made additional comments about excessive speed throughout the remainder of the recording. At 1 minute 4 seconds and again at 57 seconds before the recording ended, a warning system announced 'sink rate sink rate,' alerting the crew to a rapid descent. In the 17 seconds before touchdown, the pilots received five 'too low terrain' warnings. Fifteen seconds after the nose and right main gear first touched down, a pilot called for a go-around, matching flight data recorder indications of go-around thrust being applied at that moment. Eleven seconds before the recording ended, throttles were reduced to idle power and brakes were re-applied; ten seconds before the end, sounds similar to the aircraft departing the paved surface were heard.
Crash Sequence
On September 6, 2026, the 32-year-old Boeing 767-33A(ER), operated by 21 Air on behalf of Amazon Air, breached the airport perimeter and struck two vehicles on a public road. The five victims were identified as Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47. All five were in a van owned by an aircraft cleaning company. Senior Aviation Accident Investigator Chihoon Shin stated on September 8, 2026, that there was no indication in the recorded data that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed.
Crew Background
The captain, 55 years old, had 7,145 flight hours and was a former U.S. Army Black Hawk pilot. He received his Boeing 767 type rating in May 2026. The first officer, 37 years old, had 2,655 flight hours and received a 767 type rating on April 2, 2025. The NTSB noted that the times and descriptions published are preliminary and subject to change.
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