Image courtesy of NTSB
The Miami plane crash on Sept. 6, 2026, killed five people who were never on the plane. An Amazon-contracted Boeing 767 cargo jet ran off a runway at Miami International Airport while landing, tore through a fence and a public road, and struck a work van and an SUV before catching fire. Everyone who died was on the ground.
Investigators are still working to understand what went wrong, and families are left with painful questions about how this happened and who is responsible. Here is what is known so far, and what a crash like this can mean legally.
What Happened: Initial Reports, Causes, and Legal Considerations
Amazon Air Flight 7598 was landing around 2 p.m. after arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, on its third flight of the day. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the Boeing 767 overran Runway 30 and traveled roughly 1,300 feet past the end of the pavement, striking two vehicles along the way.
The plane first hit a van carrying seven workers from an airline cleaning company. It then tore through a perimeter fence and struck an SUV traveling on a nearby road before coming to rest in the grass and bursting into flames.
Five people were killed, and all of them were inside the two vehicles the plane struck. Five others were injured, including the two pilots, who escaped the burning aircraft and were later released from the hospital. The jet was operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina cargo carrier flying under contract for Amazon.
How the NTSB Investigates a Cargo Plane Crash
When a commercial aircraft crashes, the NTSB leads the investigation. Its job is not to assign blame but to determine what happened and how to prevent the next crash. That process is slow and deliberate, and its conclusion can take one year or longer.
Investigators recovered the flight data recorder and the cockpit voice recorder from the wreckage and sent both to the agency’s laboratory for analysis. On the ground, dozens of investigators document the scene and split into specialized teams that study human performance, aircraft systems, engines, air traffic control, weather, aircraft structures, and survival factors.
The NTSB has said it will not name a probable cause while its team is still on site. The agency has investigated more than 3,000 runway excursions since 2008, and it has stressed that those investigations only prevent future crashes when regulators act on the safety recommendations that result from them.
What May Have Caused the Runway Overrun
No cause has been confirmed, and it may be months before one is. Investigators have publicly pointed to several factors they are examining.
Video of the landing appears to show the jet staying in the air well down the runway before touching down late. Aviation safety analysts have noted that a plane landing beyond the normal touchdown zone, roughly the first 3,000 feet of runway, often should abort the landing and circle for another attempt. Storms and strong winds were in the area, and a tailwind can push a plane farther down the runway before its wheels are on the ground.
The airport’s equipment is also part of the review. Miami International does not have an Engineered Materials Arresting System (EMAS), a bed of crushable material at the end of a runway that slows a plane running off the end.
The FAA has credited EMAS with safely stopping overrunning aircraft at other airports. Miami was not required to install one because its runways have a 1,000-foot safety buffer, so the airport appears to have been in compliance.
The aircraft itself will draw scrutiny too. The Boeing 767 was 32 years old, built in 1994 and later converted from a passenger jet to a cargo plane. The age of an aircraft, its maintenance history, and the FAA rules that govern older cargo fleets are all standard parts of an investigation like this one.
Who May Be Held Liable in a Cargo Plane Crash
Liability in a cargo plane crash is rarely limited to one company. Depending on what investigators find, several parties could share responsibility:
- The Operating Carrier: 21 Air flew the aircraft and was responsible for its crew and operations.
- The Contracting Company: Amazon arranged the cargo shipment and set the terms of the flight.
- Owners and Maintenance Providers: The companies that owned, leased, or serviced the aging jet may share responsibility if maintenance was a factor.
- The Manufacturer or Airport: A defective part or an airport safety issue could bring other parties into the case.
The relationship between Amazon and 21 Air is one focus of the investigation. Amazon arranged the shipment, but 21 Air actually operated the flight, and the NTSB has said it wants to understand that contractual relationship and the safety obligations each company carried. Those contracts often decide who is legally on the hook when something goes wrong. A carrier’s maintenance records, past inspections, and overall safety record can all become evidence in a case like this.
Legal Options for People Injured on the Ground
This crash is unusual in one important way. The people who were killed and injured were not passengers or crew. They were on the ground, sitting in vehicles and doing their jobs, when the plane reached them.
People hurt on the ground in an aircraft accident, and the families of those who were killed, may have the right to seek compensation. A wrongful death claim can help a family recover costs like medical bills, funeral expenses, and the loss of financial support and companionship. An injury claim can cover medical care, lost income, and the lasting effects of a serious injury.
Crashes like this one tend to cause devastating harm, including burns, traumatic brain injuries, and broken bones. Cases involving catastrophic injuries are complex, and the compensation available depends on the specific facts and the law of the state where the crash occurred. An experienced attorney can help you understand what options may be available.
How Cargo Plane Crash Claims Differ From Passenger Cases
Cargo crash cases and passenger crash cases follow different legal paths. When passengers are injured, the case often centers on the airline’s duty to ticketed passengers, and international flights may fall under treaties such as the Montreal Convention, which sets specific rules for airline liability.
A cargo crash usually looks different. There are no ticketed passengers, so claims more often turn on ordinary negligence, harm to people on the ground, and questions about contractors and workplace safety. Both types of cases involve heavy federal oversight from the FAA and NTSB, and both are complex and highly fact-dependent.
Because the rules differ, the attorney’s experience matters. Our firm has handled aviation accident cases for decades and understands how these claims are built.
Talk to an Experienced Aviation Accident Lawyer
If you were injured or you lost someone you love in an aviation accident, you are likely facing questions no one should have to answer alone. You do not have to figure out who was responsible or what your claim is worth by yourself.
Nurenberg, Paris, Heller & McCarthy has represented families in aviation cases across the country for decades and has built a national reputation for this work. We can review what happened, explain your options, and handle the legal side so you can focus on your family.
Our No Fee Guarantee® means you pay us nothing unless we recover money for you. When you are ready, contact us for a free, confidential consultation.
