In a dramatic cellphone video, a pilot of an Amazon cargo plane is seen making a desperate escape as the aircraft caught fire at Miami International Airport. According to Telemundo 51, the pilot jumped from the cockpit and ran for safety following the disaster.
The incident, which took place on Sunday, tragically resulted in five fatalities and left five others injured.
Eyewitness Account of the Harrowing Escape
Olvin Henriquez, who was near the airport with his family, including his four-month-old daughter, captured the startling footage. The Boeing 767-300, operating for Amazon Air by 21 Air, overshot runway 30, crashed through the airport boundary, and collided with at least two vehicles.
"It was shocking to witness everything unfold; suddenly, we saw the pilot leap from the cockpit door and sprint away as the plane was rapidly engulfed in flames," Henriquez recounted to Telemundo 51.
Henriquez described the scene, adding, "My family and I quickly turned the car around, fearing the plane might explode violently."
He also mentioned the eerie quiet moments before the crash: "Everything was eerily silent; despite being so close, none of us heard the plane skidding. Before we knew it, the massive aircraft was ablaze, and the road was in ruins before us."
Impact on Vehicles Results in Fatalities
Flight 7598 had departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico's Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. After overshooting the runway, the plane traveled approximately 396 meters beyond the pavement, crashing into a van from Professional Ocean Service Corporation, carrying seven cleaning workers, and another civilian utility vehicle outside the perimeter.
All fatalities were among those in the vehicles, not on board the plane. Three individuals were transported in critical condition to a trauma center, with two others sustaining less severe injuries.
The Miami-Dade Fire and Rescue Department mentioned that both pilots were initially trapped in the cockpit. They received medical care and have since been released.
Over 60 units and nearly 200 personnel responded to the scene, using specialized foam to combat the blaze and spending hours to control a fuel leak.
Federal Investigation Underway
Formal investigations have been launched by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), as reported by Infobae. The black boxes have been retrieved for analysis in Washington.
A critical aspect of the investigation will be pinpointing where the plane touched down; regulations dictate that this contact must occur within the first 914 meters of the runway.
Data from Flightradar24 suggests the aircraft was traveling at approximately 210 kilometers per hour when it exited the operational area.
Mary Schiavo, a former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation, commented to the Associated Press that footage seems to show the plane did not lift its nose during landing, suggesting a tailwind might have extended its rollout.
Aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo added that if the aircraft exceeded the stopping distance without landing, the crew should have aborted the landing.
Renewed Debate Over EMAS System
The crash has reignited discussions on the lack of an Engineered Materials Arrestor System (EMAS) at Miami Airport. This system, employed at over 120 U.S. airports, halts aircraft in overrun scenarios using a bed of crushable material at the runway's end.
The FAA reports that EMAS has saved at least 497 lives in 26 incidents.
Captain Francisco Díaz, who claimed to have piloted the same aircraft a decade ago, described the landing as an "unstable approach" and urged, "Miami Airport is investing $9 billion in infrastructure. Please include an EMAS system for all runways."
Understanding the Miami Airport Plane Crash
What caused the Miami plane crash involving an Amazon cargo plane?
The crash occurred after the Amazon cargo plane overshot the runway, broke through the airport boundary, and collided with vehicles beyond the runway perimeter.
Were there any survivors from the vehicles involved in the crash?
Unfortunately, all fatalities were among those in the vehicles. However, three individuals were critically injured and two sustained less severe injuries.
What is the significance of the EMAS system?
The EMAS system is designed to stop aircraft in overrun situations using a crushable material bed at the end of runways, which has saved numerous lives in past incidents.