# What Went Wrong in the Miami Cargo Plane Crash

> Flight data shows an Amazon cargo jet tried to abort an unsteady landing in Miami before a fatal collision killed five airport workers.
- Title: What Went Wrong in the Miami Cargo Plane Crash · NPR
- Summary: Flight data shows an Amazon cargo jet tried to abort an unsteady landing in Miami before a fatal collision killed five airport workers. Investigators are…
- Keywords: aviation, miami, ntsb, cargo plane, disaster, news, Went, Wrong, Cargo, Plane, Crash, NPR
- Source: NPR — https://npr.org/2026/09/09/g-s1-142482/cargo-plane-crash-miami
- Published: 2026-09-09T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: aviation, miami, ntsb, cargo plane, disaster, news
## Cargo jet overshoots Miami runway
An Amazon cargo plane landing after a flight from Puerto Rico barreled 1,300 feet past the runway, crashing into airport ground vehicles and killing five people.
## Flight data shows aborted approach
Recordings indicate the pilots briefly attempted a go-around to retry the landing. They abandoned the climb to try stopping, but thrust reversers were never deployed.
## Tragic collision kills five workers
The jet slammed into an airport cleaning crew shuttle van and careened through a fence into an SUV. All five fatalities were workers inside the crushed van.

> You would not think riding in a van to clean an airplane, that this would happen.
## Evidence of an unstable landing
The Boeing 767 touched down on its nose and right landing gear first. Aviation experts note this abnormal posture indicates a deeply unstable landing approach.

> A go-around probably should have been executed sooner than that. And it seems like they hesitated.
## Possible cockpit miscommunication
Former transportation safety officials suspect there may have been confusion or a disagreement between the pilot and co-pilot about whether to touch down or abort.

> It almost seems like there was a disagreement between the pilots on what to do.
## Storms and strong tailwinds
Stormy weather surrounded the airport, creating strong tailwinds that pushed the jet past its landing mark. Investigators are looking into air traffic control decisions.
## Absence of runway stopping technology
Miami lacks crushable material arrestor beds at runway ends designed to safely stop overrun jets. Federal officials are scrutinizing the lack of extra safety barriers.
## A converted 32-year-old aircraft
The plane, operated by 21 Air, was originally built as a passenger jet in 1994. It flew internationally for foreign airlines before being converted to cargo in 2015.
## NTSB probes pilot decisions
Federal investigators are interviewing the surviving pilots and analyzing cockpit voice recorders. A complete report on the crash cause could take a year or more.
## Key takeaway

Investigators are focusing on pilot hesitation, severe tailwinds, and the absence of runway stopping beds after a cargo jet overran a Miami runway.