The accident occurred on September 6th when a Boeing 767-300, loaded with goods for Amazon, arrived from Puerto Rico. The aircraft continued almost 400 meters past the end of the runway and collided with vehicles on the ground. Authorities have now identified the five people who lost their lives in connection with their vehicles being hit. The victims were between the ages of 47 and 75. An additional five people were injured in the incident.
Safety is Prioritized
Amazon has chosen to temporarily suspend operations with the freight company while the investigation is ongoing. The company's spokesperson commented on the decision, emphasizing that safety has always been their top priority, whether it concerns their own operations or collaborations with partners.
Following the tragic incident last weekend, we have spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing the circumstances, and we have decided to pause our operations with 21 Air. We will continue to work to support the investigation and all those affected, says Amazon.
The airline 21 Air is a dedicated cargo airline that, in addition to Amazon, also performs flights for other logistics actors, including DHL. The airline's CEO has issued a statement regarding the accident:
Our deepest condolences go to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives. Our immediate priorities are to support those affected, assist relevant authorities and ensure that accurate and verified information is communicated as it becomes available.
Warnings in the Cockpit
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation. The NTSB Chairman has described the accident site as a scene of total devastation after their observations. The authority has now secured the aircraft's black boxes to analyze the circumstances that led to the incident.
New information from the audio recordings indicates that the plane was traveling at too high a speed during the approach. According to the NTSB, one of the pilots warned the other several times about the speed. The investigation shows that no consistent verbal response was given to these warnings, even though an automatic height alarm and other warning systems were activated in the cockpit during landing.
According to flight data portal Flightradar24, the aircraft was traveling at 112 knots when it left the runway. At the time, weather reports indicated thunderstorms and gusty winds in the area. The aircraft was 32 years old and was used in passenger traffic for just over two decades before being converted into a cargo plane in 2015.