A pilot of the Amazon cargo plane that careened off Miami runway warned it was coming in too fast

In the aftermath of the tragic crash of an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane in Miami, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released an update detailing the events leading up to the disaster. According to the NTSB, one of the pilots acknowledged during the approach that they were flying "too fast," over a minute before touching down.

Despite this warning, the plane overran the runway by 396 meters and crashed into two vehicles, resulting in the deaths of five people and injuries to another five. The plane descended rapidly, falling 400 feet in just four seconds, before sounding five warnings about the terrain being too low. Despite these clear indicators that their approach was unstable, the co-pilot did not clearly respond to the automated warnings.

Fifteen seconds after touchdown, one of the pilots called for an abort, but the throttles were reduced to idle power just four seconds later, causing the plane to depart the runway. Initial data suggests the plane was still traveling at 120 knots when this happened. The NTSB has not yet determined whether speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed to help slow the plane.

Experts in aviation safety note that most plane accidents result from a combination of factors that require thorough investigation. "It's clear there was a breakdown in crew resource management," stated aerospace safety consultant Anthony Brickhouse. "Ignoring the cues that something was wrong and continuing with the approach has led to tragic consequences."

The NTSB interviewed both pilots, the captain and first officer, before releasing their findings. Both had recent experience with the Boeing 767, with the captain having 7,145 hours of flight time and the first officer 2,655 hours. The plane was on its third flight of the day, traveling from San Juan to Miami and back again before the crash at 1:53 pm on Sunday.

The captain, 55, received his type rating in May, while the first officer, 37, received his in April 2025.