NTSB: Amazon cargo jet pilots lacked wind data before Miami crash

October 2, 2026 at 03:46 AM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Pilots of a 21 Air cargo plane operating for Amazon Air were unaware of wind conditions before the September 6 crash at Miami International Airport that killed five people, the NTSB said Thursday. The preliminary report cites excessive speed, unused braking systems, and missing wind information from an air traffic controller. Amazon has paused use of 21 Air.

Key Facts

The NTSB preliminary report states the 21 Air Boeing 767-300 freighter touched down about 3,750 feet past the runway start at 160 knots groundspeed.
The FAA controller issued a landing clearance but did not provide wind information as required by FAA procedures.
About four minutes before the landing clearance, the controller told another flight winds were from 190° at 19 knots with gusts to 22 knots.
The first officer cautioned the captain they were flying 'too fast' just over a minute before touchdown, and the captain did not verbally acknowledge all speed comments.
Amazon has paused use of 21 Air following the crash.

Crash Sequence

The 21 Air-operated cargo flight for Amazon Air overran a runway while landing at Miami International Airport and struck two vehicles on the ground. The aircraft was a 32-year-old Boeing 767-300 freighter that had previously operated as a passenger jet for various airlines from 1994 to 2015. The cargo plane was on its third flight of the day, coming from San Juan, Puerto Rico, after earlier flying from Cincinnati to Miami and Miami to San Juan. The NTSB said the captain considered aborting the landing after touchdown, citing evidence from a flight data recorder.

Wind Information Failure

The NTSB said an FAA air traffic controller issued a landing clearance but did not provide wind information as required by the FAA. About four minutes before issuing the landing clearance, when asked by another flight for wind information, the controller stated winds were from 190° at 19 knots with gusts to 22 knots. The 21 Air flight was not on the radio frequency at the time, the NTSB said. The FAA did not immediately comment.

Speed and Braking

The first officer cautioned the captain they were flying 'too fast' just over a minute before touching down on the runway that they overran and made additional comments about the airplane's excessive speed. The NTSB said the captain did not verbally acknowledge all of the first officer's comments about speed. Data showed the speed brakes remained stowed and the thrust reversers did not deploy during the landing. The airplane touched down about 3,750 feet (1,143 meters) past the start of the runway at a groundspeed of 160 knots (184 mph).