Folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. An Amazon Air cargo plane careened off the runway in Miami last month, and the details are just astonishing. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the plane didn’t touch down until it was nearly ¾ of a mile past the threshold, and the captain didn’t attempt to abort the landing until there was only 930 feet of pavement remaining. I mean, that’s like trying to stop a train with a pair of flip-flops.
The preliminary report sheds new light on how an unstable landing at too high of a speed turned deadly. Five people were killed when the Boeing 767, operated by all-cargo carrier 21Air, overran the runway at Miami International Airport on September 6, striking multiple vehicles, catching fire and sending a thick black plume of smoke into the air. Three people sustained serious injuries, and the two pilots had minor injuries, the NTSB said. It’s just heartbreaking to think about the families of those who lost their lives.
The report also identifies, for the first time, that it was the captain who was flying the Boeing 767 and the first officer who repeatedly warned him the jet was coming in too fast. There was “not a consistent verbal response” from the captain to the warnings about speed, investigators said. You can’t help but wonder what was going through the captain’s mind at that moment. Was he experiencing some kind of tunnel vision, or was he just not listening to his co-pilot?
The plane was about 105 feet above the ground and going more than 200 mph as it crossed the threshold of the runway, according to tracking data and the aircraft’s black box, the NTSB said. The plane flew past 40% of the runway before it finally touched down about 3,750 feet beyond the start of the pavement going about 185 mph. Another 2,880 feet were gone before the plane’s weight was entirely on the ground. It’s a miracle that more people weren’t killed.
The plane rolled past the departure end of the runway and struck navigation equipment and airport lights at about 115 mph. It hit a Ford Econoline passenger van, where five people were killed, and then a Toyota Corolla Cross SUV before finally erupting in flames about 1,200 feet beyond the end of the paved surface, the NTSB said. The pilot jumped out of the aircraft from the left door while the first officer climbed out a cockpit window. I can only imagine the chaos and panic that ensued.
The investigation is ongoing, and the NTSB has not yet identified the cause of the accident. The probe is focused on identifying what happened and why, and it does not assign blame or any sort of criminal liability. 21Air, which operated the plane for Amazon Air, said it was reviewing the preliminary report and is working closely with the NTSB on the investigation. Amazon Air suspended its operations with 21Air after the crash. It’s clear that there were some serious mistakes made, and it’s up to the investigators to figure out what went wrong.
In conclusion, this accident is a sobering reminder of the importance of safety in aviation. The fact that the captain didn’t respond to warnings about speed and didn’t attempt to abort the landing until it was too late is just mind-boggling. As I finish my coffee, I’m left shaking my head and wondering what could have been done differently to prevent this tragedy. And on a lighter note, I guess this is one way to get out of a long day of flying – just overrun the runway and call it a day! 😊
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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