Media: Amazon cargo plane crew attempted to abort landing after touchdown

The pilots of an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane that overran a runway in Miami appeared to make a late attempt to abort the landing and take off again, according to data recovered from the aircraft’s flight data recorder, the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said on September 8.

The 32-year-old Boeing 767, operated by Miami-based 21 Air, overran the runway at Miami International Airport by about 1,300 feet (396 meters) on Sunday, killing five people and injuring five others, Reuters reports.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators would interview both pilots on Wednesday before releasing details from the aircraft’s cockpit voice recorder.

According to the NTSB, the nose and right main landing gear touched down about 30 seconds before the end of the flight data recording at 158 knots (181 mph). The left main landing gear touched down 19 seconds before the end at 134 knots.

A few seconds later, the aircraft’s brakes were released and engine throttles were increased to settings consistent with go-around thrust, suggesting the crew attempted to abort the landing after touchdown.

However, 11 seconds before the end of the recording, the throttles were reduced to idle power and the brakes were reapplied. The aircraft’s final recorded ground speed was 65 knots.

The NTSB said the data showed no indication that the plane’s speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed to help slow it down.

Homendy is leading a team of 32 investigators at Miami International Airport. One of two runways closed after the crash was reopened late Tuesday to allow departures in an easterly direction.

The aircraft was making its third flight of the day when the accident occurred at 1:53 p.m. EDT (1753 GMT). It had earlier flown from Cincinnati to Miami and then from Miami to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The captain, 55, received his Boeing 767 type rating in May and had 7,145 hours of flight time. The 37-year-old first officer received his 767 type rating in April 2025 and had 2,655 flight hours, the NTSB said.

By Sabina Mammadli