Federal investigators said Tuesday that critical stopping systems were not activated during Sunday’s fatal Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport, where the jet ran off the runway and collided with two vehicles, leaving five people dead.
The National Transportation Safety Board said preliminary data shows the aircraft’s wheel brakes were used, but two other key deceleration systems — the speed brakes and thrust reversers — were not deployed.
“There was no indication in the recorded data that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed,” said Chihoon Shin, the NTSB investigator leading the inquiry into the Miami runway overrun.
Shin said investigators intend to interview the pilots as part of the ongoing probe. He also cautioned that officials are not yet drawing conclusions about what actions should have been taken during the landing.
An Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 crashes off the runway and crushes a vehicle near Miami International Airport in Miami on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2026. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“When we analyze the full list of parameters, we’ll have a better idea of the aircraft’s performance during this landing. Was it normal? Was it not? And what was working and what was not. So I’m not going to speculate on what should have been right now,” he said.
“What we need to do is talk to the crew and get their account to understand how they’re manipulating the controls in order to get a better understanding of the situation,” he added. “That’s something that we need a complete understanding of.”
NTSB investigators examine a wreckage field Monday after a Boeing 767 cargo plane overran the end of Runway 30 while landing Sunday at Miami International Airport. (@NTSB_Newsroom/X)
While officials did not identify the pilots involved, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the captain was 55 years old and had 7,145 flight hours, according to his latest Class 1 medical certificate dated March 31, 2026.
The first officer was 37 years old and had 2,655 flight hours, according to his Class 1 medical certificate dated April 13, 2026, she said.
Officials confirmed that no hazardous materials were on board and said most of the cargo consisted of contact lenses.
An Amazon cargo plane is seen after it crashed at Miami International Airport on Sept. 6, 2026, in Miami, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
“They did confirm there was no hazmat on board. The cargo was mainly made up of contact lenses, again weighing 32,222 pounds. And then, of course, a flight kit,” she said.
At least five people were killed and another five were injured in Sunday’s fiery crash involving Prime Air Flight 7598.
Seven of the victims were in a van that was crushed on airport property. The plane then traveled through the airport fence and struck another civilian vehicle before coming to a stop near a parking lot.