Amazon announced Sunday that it suspended its partnership with 21 Air, the cargo carrier that operated Flight 7598, the Boeing 767 that overran the runway at Miami International Airport on Sept. 6, killing five people on the ground and injuring five others.
The 21 Air aircraft overran the runway by approximately 1,300 feet before crashing into a workers’ van and an SUV. Both pilots survived.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement that Amazon’s top priority is safety and that after the tragic incident the company spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing surrounding circumstances before deciding to pause 21 Air operations. She said the company will continue supporting the investigation and everyone affected.
What the investigation has found
The National Transportation Safety Board said on Sept. 9 that cockpit voice recorder evidence showed the pilot was repeatedly warned by his co-pilot that the aircraft was coming in too fast. Homendy told reporters at a Sept. 8 news conference that she had not seen press reports about safety concerns regarding the carrier.
Earlier, investigators disclosed flight data recorder evidence showing an unusual landing sequence. The nose gear and right main gear touched down first at 158 knots, or 181 miles per hour. Nineteen seconds before the end of the recording, the left main gear touched down at 134 knots. Throttles then briefly surged to go-around levels before returning to idle, which investigators said may indicate a late attempt to abort the landing.
The suspension
The Amazon decision removes a carrier from its logistics network while investigators continue their work. The investigation is ongoing and no cause has been formally determined.
The carrier 21 Air has not publicly responded to the suspension. The five people killed died when the aircraft left the runway and struck vehicles near the airport perimeter.
