An Amazon Air cargo plane crashed while landing at Miami International Airport on Sunday, September 6, 2026, after overrunning the runway and striking vehicles. The accident triggered a large emergency response and temporarily grounded flights at one of the country’s busiest aviation gateways.
The aircraft, a Boeing 767-300 freighter operating as 21 Air Flight 7598, had arrived from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It touched down at around 2 p.m. local time, but for reasons that remain under investigation, it failed to stop on the runway and continued past the end of the pavement. The plane ultimately collided with vehicles on airport property, and video and photographs from the scene showed thick smoke and flames around the aircraft. The Amazon logo, painted on the tail of the 767, remained visible as emergency crews worked to extinguish the fire.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue deployed more than 60 units to the scene, according to officials. When rescue crews arrived, the plane was already on fire and emitting large amounts of heavy smoke. Several vehicles were involved in the crash, and multiple people were reported injured. The exact number of casualties, as well as the full extent of the damage to the aircraft and ground vehicles, was not immediately clear.
What we know about the flight
Federal Aviation Administration officials said the cargo plane departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was operating a scheduled freight service for Amazon Air. The flight number, 21 Air Flight 7598, identifies the operating carrier, which runs cargo missions under contract for Amazon’s in-house air logistics network. The aircraft is a Boeing 767-300, a twin-engine widebody jet widely used in overnight cargo operations across the United States.
The incident occurred around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, a time when Miami International Airport is normally active with passenger arrivals, departures, and cargo movements. The runway overrun forced airport officials to stop all departures and arrivals while emergency teams treated the injured, fought the fire, and began preserving evidence for investigators. Passengers already at the airport faced delays and confusion as some arriving flights were diverted to other airports in South Florida.
Local news video from the scene showed the aircraft resting on open ground near a roadway, separated from the main terminal area by airport security fences. The nose section of the jet appeared heavily damaged, and rescue vehicles surrounded the wreckage as smoke continued to rise. Fire crews sprayed foam and water onto the aircraft in an effort to contain the flames and prevent further damage.
Official statements and response
The FAA issued a statement shortly after the crash, confirming the basic details of the incident. “21 Air Flight 7598 overran the runway after landing at Miami International Airport around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 6,” the agency said. “The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.”
Amazon also released a statement acknowledging the involvement of one of its cargo planes. “We can confirm that an Amazon Air plane operated by 21 Air experienced an incident while attempting to land at Miami International Airport today,” a company spokesperson said. “This is a fast-moving situation and we’re still gathering details. We’re working closely with local authorities and officials to understand exactly what happened. Right now, our absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved. We’re doing everything we can to support those affected.”
The company did not immediately disclose the type of cargo aboard the flight, but Amazon Air aircraft typically carry e-commerce packages between fulfillment centers, sortation hubs, and regional distribution facilities. The 767-300 is one of the most common freighter aircraft in Amazon’s dedicated air network, and many of those jets are operated by partner airlines like 21 Air rather than by Amazon itself.
Amazon Air’s expanding cargo network
Amazon Air has grown rapidly in recent years, becoming an essential part of the company’s ability to offer fast, predictable delivery to customers. The cargo operation is not a traditional passenger airline; instead, it moves millions of packages per day through a network of leased and owned freighter aircraft flying between airports across the United States and, increasingly, around the world.
Amazon began building its own air cargo capacity more than a decade ago, reducing its reliance on third-party delivery carriers such as FedEx and UPS. The company now operates a mixed fleet of Boeing jets, including 767 and 737 freighter models, through partnerships with specialized cargo airlines. These smaller carriers provide crew, maintenance, and operational support, while Amazon supplies the cargo handling network and package sorting infrastructure on the ground.
Miami International Airport is a key location for Amazon Air because it serves as a major gateway for goods entering and leaving Florida, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The airport is also one of the busiest cargo airports in the United States, handling hundreds of thousands of tons of freight every year. A crash or serious incident at such a facility can have ripple effects on both passenger travel and the regional supply chain.
What can cause a runway overrun
Investigators will examine a wide range of factors to determine why the Boeing 767-300 did not stop on the runway. Runway overruns can happen when an aircraft lands too fast, touches down too far down the runway, encounters a loss of braking effectiveness, or suffers a mechanical problem such as a brake failure or a problem with the thrust reversers. Environmental conditions, including wet pavement, crosswinds, or tailwinds, can also increase landing distances.
The crew’s actions during the approach and landing will be central to the investigation. Data from the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder, if equipped and recovered, could provide precise information about the aircraft’s speed, altitude, and engine settings in the final moments before touchdown. Air traffic control recordings and radar data will help investigators understand the flight path and the information the pilots received from the tower.
Officials will also inspect the runway surface and markings to determine whether the aircraft touched down in the correct zone and whether any runway conditions may have reduced the available braking friction. In recent years, runway overruns have been a focus of federal transportation safety recommendations, with investigators urging airports to install engineered materials such as crushable concrete at the ends of runways to slow aircraft that cannot stop in time.
Aviation safety and cargo operations
Cargo airlines have a strong safety record, but they operate under different commercial pressures than passenger carriers. Freighter flights often fly at night and on tight schedules, and crews can face fatigue and irregular working hours. Because cargo aircraft do not carry passengers, some older or heavier aircraft remain in service longer than they would in passenger operations, although they continue to meet federal airworthiness standards.
The Boeing 767 has been in commercial service for decades and is widely used by cargo operators. The aircraft involved in Sunday’s incident was a 767-300, a model that can carry a large volume of freight over medium and long distances. The type has been produced in freighter versions for years and is considered a workhorse of the global cargo industry.
21 Air is one of several smaller airlines that operate aircraft under Amazon’s air cargo brand. These carriers provide capable flight crews and maintenance teams while flying Amazon-branded airplanes. In the aftermath of a major incident, the operating carrier is responsible for protecting the flight crew, preserving records, and cooperating with federal investigators.
Impact on travelers and cargo
As emergency response efforts continued, authorities said passengers at Miami International Airport should expect delays throughout the afternoon and evening. The temporary ground stop affected arriving flights, some of which were forced to hold or divert to Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport and other nearby airports. Departing passengers were also asked to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.
The crash also disrupted cargo operations at the airport, which is an important hub for time-sensitive deliveries. Freight handlers and logistics companies rely on precise schedules to move perishable goods, medical supplies, electronics, and e-commerce orders through Miami. A closure or restriction on the airfield can quickly affect deliveries in Florida and across the broader supply chain.
Officials did not provide a timetable for reopening the affected runway or for resuming normal cargo and passenger operations. Investigators planned to spend the coming days documenting the crash site, photographing the runway, interviewing witnesses, and collecting maintenance records for the aircraft. The National Transportation Safety Board was expected to lead the inquiry, with support from the FBI and other federal agencies, although the investigation will take months to complete.
More details about the injuries, the people involved, and the condition of the crew are likely to emerge after authorities contact the families and complete a search of the crash site. The fact that the plane came to rest when it crashed through airport barriers before hitting vehicles emphasizes the danger of runway overruns, particularly for aircraft operating in dense urban environments. While the cause is not yet known, this incident highlights the work that still remains to make runway safety a priority at airports across the country.
Source: The Verge News