An Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft operated by 21 Air was involved in a serious accident at Miami International Airport (MIA) on September 6, after the Boeing 767-300 freighter overran the runway while landing. The aircraft, operating as Prime Air Flight 7598, had departed Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and overran Miami’s Runway 30 shortly before 2 p.m. local time. The aircraft subsequently crossed a nearby roadway and struck multiple vehicles before coming to rest and catching fire.
Local authorities reported five fatalities and five injuries, including three people who were critically injured. Emergency crews responded with more than 60 rescue units and approximately 200 personnel, while firefighters worked to control the aircraft fire and address a fuel leak. The incident caused a major disruption at Miami International Airport, with runways and taxiways temporarily closed and numerous flights delayed or cancelled.
The aircraft was a 32-year-old Boeing 767-300 freighter, operated by North Carolina-based 21 Air on behalf of Amazon. The aircraft was originally built as a passenger aircraft and was converted to freighter configuration in 2015. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 indicates that the aircraft was travelling at approximately 112 knots when it exited the usable runway area.
The cause of the accident has not yet been established. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that it will investigate the incident, while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has deployed an investigative team to Miami. Weather conditions at the time included thunderstorms and gusting winds, although investigators have not determined whether weather contributed to the accident.
Amazon said its immediate priority is the safety, wellbeing and care of everyone affected and confirmed that it is working with local authorities to understand what happened. 21 Air and Boeing have also said they will support the official investigation.
The accident is particularly significant for the air cargo industry given Miami International Airport’s role as a major U.S. cargo gateway and Amazon Prime Air’s extensive use of dedicated freighter capacity. The investigation will now focus on the circumstances surrounding the runway overrun and the factors that led to the accident.
