Pilots flying an Amazon cargo plane that crashed onto a roadway received repeated warnings about the aircraft’s excessive speed before the fatal accident, but the concerns went unanswered, according to a new report.
On September 6, a 21 Air flight operated for Amazon overran the runway at Miami International Airport and struck two vehicles. Five people on the ground were killed, while three others suffered serious injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board has released a preliminary report outlining its investigation into the crash.
According to the report, cockpit recordings captured several warnings, including an automated alert indicating that the plane was traveling too fast.
“The captain called for flaps to be set to 20 degrees, and the FO [first officer] cautioned they were too fast,” the report stated.
“The FO made additional comments regarding the airplane’s excessive speed throughout the remainder of the recording. There was not a consistent verbal response to the comments about speed.”
Several electronic warnings followed. The autopilot appeared to disconnect only seconds later. After touchdown, one of the pilots was heard calling for a “go-around,” the emergency procedure used to abandon a landing and climb away from the runway.
The cargo aircraft had two people aboard, both crew members. They suffered minor injuries in the crash.
An Amazon cargo plane missed the runway on September 6 and crashed into two vehicles. A new NTSB report said the pilots received warnings about excessive speed before touchdown
The NTSB said the 21 Air plane touched down about 3,750 feet beyond the landing zone at approximately 184 mph
The cargo plane crashed onto a roadway and collided with two vehicles, killing five people and seriously injuring three others
The plane landed about 3,750 feet beyond the designated touchdown zone at roughly 184 mph before striking a Ford Econoline passenger van traveling along a road parallel to the airport, the report said.
Seven people were inside the van. Five died, while two others sustained serious injuries.
The aircraft then hit a Toyota Corolla Cross sport utility vehicle, seriously injuring its driver.
It also smashed through a chain-link fence around a parking lot before coming to a stop 1,200 feet from the runway.
The pilots did not deploy the aircraft’s speed brakes or thrust reversers. Investigators also noted that air traffic controllers did not provide the flight crew with wind information before the landing.
About four minutes before the accident, a controller told another flight about a 22 mph wind gust. However, the cargo plane was tuned to a different frequency and did not receive the warning.
The pilots were identified as Joseph Carroll, 55, and Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37. The Miami Herald reported that both men were discharged from the hospital soon after the crash.
The preliminary report also said the flight marked the first day Carroll and Silva Molina had worked together.
Both vehicles suffered extensive damage, while passengers endured fatal and serious injuries
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Officials are seen investigating the runway incursion on Sunday evening
A damaged vehicle is seen in pieces outside Miami International Airport following the crash
Carroll had flown a round-trip flight from Miami to Bogotá, Colombia, the day before. Silva Molina flew a round-trip flight from Miami to Baltimore three days before.
The captain had about 7,627 total flight hours and was hired by 21 Air in April. The first officer had about 2,800 flight hours and was hired in February of 2025.
The plane, which was a Boeing 767, was built in June 1994 and was substantially damaged in the crash by a fire on the right wing.
The NTSB’s 12-page report provided extensive details on the plane and the crash, but did not conclude why the accident occurred.
Just 30 seconds after the plane crashed, firefighters arrived on scene and found the victims trapped inside their vehicles, Fire Chief Raied Jadallah said at a news conference following the incident.
‘The plane is on fire. The plane is on fire,’ a firefighter could be heard in emergency radio dispatch obtained by the Miami Herald. ‘Put your game face on guys.’
One person was left trapped underneath one of the struck vehicles and had to be extricated by specialized rescue personnel, fire crews told Our News Outlet at the time as they continued to try to stop a fuel leak at the scene.
The five victims were identified as Rolando Aleman, 55, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53, Julio C Pineda, 75, Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53, and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
Five people were killed and five others were left injured after an Amazon cargo plane crashed after overrunning the runway at the Miami International Airport on Sunday
The pilot, Joseph Carroll, and first officer, Jaime Filipe Silva Molina, were flying together for the first time on the day of the incident
Pablo Rojas, an attorney representing one of the survivors, 27-year-old Sebastian Perdomo Torres, told CBS News that the NTSB’s report does not answer all his questions.
‘I don’t know for sure what the NTSB’s conclusions are going to be, but I can tell you that this information does not answer all the questions we have about the broader airline operations. So we will be taking a thorough look at that independently what the NTSB finds about the specific immediate causes of the crash,’ he said.
On September 13, Amazon announced it would pause operations with 21 Air following the crash.
‘After the tragic incident last weekend, we’ve spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we’ve decided to pause our operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598,’ spokesperson Kelly Nantel said.
Nantel told Our News Outlet in a recent statement that: ‘The loss of life and injuries resulting from the accident involving 21 Air flight #7598 on Sept 6th weighs heavily on all of us at Amazon.
‘Our hearts continue to be with the families and loved ones of those who died or were injured, and with the entire Miami-Dade community. We remain committed to supporting the NTSB’s ongoing investigation and ask that any questions related to it be directed to them.’
Our News Outlet has reached out to 21 Air for comment.
