Miami Airport Cargo Operations Resume After Fatal Amazon
Cargo flights at Miami International Airport resumed normal operations within 24 hours of a fatal crash involving an Amazon-chartered 21 Air Boeing
Cargo operations at Miami International Airport returned to normal less than a day after a fatal crash. A 21 Air Boeing 767-300F, chartered by Amazon, overran a runway on landing, killing five people.
The recovery followed major disruption on the day of the accident. More than 160 flights were cancelled and nearly 325 were delayed after the crash prompted a three-hour ground stop. By the next morning, freighters were again arriving and departing the major US cargo gateway with little indication of a significant reduction in 21 Air's operation.
The Crash and Investigation
The aircraft, registration N1997A, overran runway 30 at Miami International Airport just before 2pm. It left the airport perimeter, crossed a road, struck vehicles, and caught fire. Five people were killed and five were injured, three critically. Rescue crews extricated the pilots from the cockpit.
The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. No cause has been established. Flight tracking data shows the aircraft was still travelling at 112 knots as it left the usable runway area. There were thunderstorms and strong winds in the vicinity at the time.
Aviation experts have suggested investigators are likely to examine the touchdown point, weather, braking performance, aircraft condition, and crew actions. A review of air traffic control communications by CNN found no emergency declaration from the pilots before landing.
21 Air's Rapid Growth and Ambitions
The accident has put scrutiny on the rapidly expanding US cargo airline. When logistics entrepreneur and Houston Astros owner Jim Crane acquired 21 Air in 2021, it operated just four or five freighters. By April this year, its fleet had reportedly grown to 16 aircraft.
The airline's relationship with Amazon is relatively recent, beginning in late 2024. More recent data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, following the accident, puts the number of 767s operated by 21 Air for Amazon at eight. The carrier also flies for customers including DHL and Cargojet.
21 Air has undergone significant ownership and management changes this year. In April, Canadian freighter operator Cargojet sold its 25% holding in the airline. Cargojet said the divestment would allow it to focus capital on its Canadian domestic network, ACMI and charter operations. The companies continue to work together commercially, with Cargojet reportedly leasing one 767-200 and one 757 to 21 Air.
| Aircraft Type | Lease Expiry |
|---|---|
| 767-200 | May 2027 |
| 757 | August 2031 |
CEO Tim Strauss's contract expired this year. Keith Winters, a former CEO of Crane Worldwide Logistics, was brought in to run the carrier. He is tasked with building a management team to support an "accelerated growth plan".
The carrier's ambitions extend beyond its current fleet. 21 Air is seeking to add Boeing 777 freighters and enter the long-haul international cargo market. Jim Crane said earlier this year he hoped to have the 777 added to the airline's operating certificate by the end of 2026. "The revenue base on those 777s is probably triple that of the planes we're running." he said.
Regulatory Petition and Previous Accident
Separately, 21 Air has been awaiting an FAA decision on a petition concerning pilot experience requirements. The airline asked in March 2025 for permission to count combined experience on its 757 and 767 fleets towards certain crew-pairing rules. It argued that having to satisfy requirements separately for each type would increase training and operating costs. As of July 31, the application remained unresolved. There is no evidence this petition played any role in the accident.
Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company's "absolute priority is the safety, well-being, and care of everyone involved." Keith Winters of 21 Air said all at the carrier were "devastated" and that their immediate priorities were supporting those affected and assisting authorities.
The Miami accident is the second fatal crash involving an aircraft operating for Amazon Air. In February 2019, an Atlas Air B767 freighter on an Amazon flight crashed near Houston, killing all three people on board. The NTSB concluded that the first officer's inappropriate response to an inadvertent activation of the aircraft's go-around mode led to spatial disorientation.
