The accident happened on Sunday, September 6, 2026, shortly before 2 p.m. local time, when 21 Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft operating for Amazon, arrived at Miami after departing from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the aircraft overran the runway after landing and said it would investigate the incident.
The aircraft continued beyond the runway and struck multiple vehicles on the ground before coming to rest in an area beside the airport. The impact caused a fire and sent thick smoke into the sky, while emergency crews faced a complex rescue operation involving both people trapped inside vehicles and members of the aircraft crew.
Miami-Dade County officials said five people died in the incident, while another five were injured. Three of the injured were taken to trauma centres in critical condition, while two others were transported to hospitals with less serious injuries. Authorities had not initially released the identities of those killed or clarified whether all of the fatalities were people on the ground or whether some were aboard the aircraft.
The rescue operation was particularly challenging because several people were trapped in vehicles hit by the aircraft. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah said specialist technical rescue teams were deployed to remove victims from the damaged vehicles. Firefighters also had to search the aircraft for the pilot and co-pilot, who were reported to have been trapped inside the cockpit during the emergency response.
More than 200 emergency personnel responded to the crash, with more than 60 fire-rescue units involved in fighting the blaze and dealing with the aftermath. Firefighters used specialised airport equipment and foam to contain the flames, while emergency teams also dealt with a fuel leak reported at the aircraft.
The Boeing 767 involved in the accident was operated by North Carolina-based 21 Air on behalf of Amazon. The aircraft was about 32 years old and had originally been built as a passenger aircraft before being converted for cargo operations in 2015, according to flight-tracking information cited in reports on the crash.
The circumstances surrounding the runway overrun remain under investigation. Authorities have not established a cause, and there is currently no confirmed evidence that weather was responsible. Thunderstorms and strong wind gusts were reported in the Miami area around the time of the crash, but investigators will need to determine whether weather conditions had any role in the accident rather than assuming a connection.
The National Transportation Safety Board has launched an investigation, while the FAA is also examining the circumstances of the crash. Investigators are expected to consider factors including the aircraft’s approach and landing, runway conditions, weather, aircraft performance, crew actions, mechanical systems and other operational circumstances before drawing conclusions about what caused the aircraft to leave the runway.
Amazon confirmed that one of its aircraft was involved and said the company was working with local authorities and officials. The company expressed sympathy for the victims and said supporting those affected was its immediate priority while pledging to cooperate fully with the investigation.
The crash also caused substantial disruption to operations at Miami International Airport. The FAA imposed a ground stop after the accident because of the disabled aircraft and runway and taxiway restrictions. The ground stop lasted for several hours, while authorities warned travellers to expect significant delays.
The disruption was significant because Miami International Airport is an important passenger and cargo hub, particularly for connections involving the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. With an aircraft and emergency response operation occupying areas around the airport, normal flight operations were temporarily restricted while crews worked to secure the crash site and ensure that it was safe for airport operations to resume.
The accident also carries added significance for Amazon’s air-cargo operation because it is not the first fatal crash involving an Amazon-operated cargo flight. In February 2019, Atlas Air Flight 3591, which was operating for Amazon Air, crashed while approaching Houston, Texas, killing all three people aboard. The National Transportation Safety Board subsequently investigated that accident.
However, the two accidents involved different aircraft, operators and circumstances, and there is no basis at this stage to suggest that the latest Miami crash was connected to the 2019 accident. Investigators must establish the facts of the latest incident independently before any conclusions can be drawn about its cause or whether any broader safety issues are involved.
For now, the immediate focus remains on the victims, the injured and the investigation into how a cargo aircraft arriving normally at Miami International Airport ended up beyond the runway and in a collision with vehicles. The identities of the victims, the condition of the flight crew and the precise sequence of events leading to the runway overrun are expected to become clearer as investigators examine flight data, cockpit information, airport records, aircraft components and other evidence.
Until that investigation is completed, claims about what caused the aircraft to overrun the runway should be treated cautiously. The confirmed facts are that the Boeing 767-300 operated by 21 Air for Amazon arrived from San Juan, overran the runway at Miami International Airport, struck vehicles, caught fire, and resulted in five deaths and five injuries. The explanation for why the accident occurred remains to be established by investigators.
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