A cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, killing at least five people, injuring at least five others and snarling air travel for thousands of passengers during a busy holiday weekend.
The plane, operated for Amazon, had departed from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and touched down in Miami just before 2 p.m., according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The incident cast a pall over Miami and its airport, an important gateway connecting South Florida to the rest of the world. The airport, about 10 miles from downtown Miami, is the nation’s busiest for international freight, according to its website, and generates $212 billion annually in business revenue.
Here’s what to know about the crash.
What happened?
The plane overran a runway and then crashed into multiple vehicles, officials said. It was not clear Sunday afternoon whether those killed had been aboard the plane or were on the ground.
Raied Jadallah, chief of Miami-Dade Fire-Rescue, said several people were trapped inside their vehicles. A person who arrived afterward described some of the cars at the scene as “mangled.” Three injured people were in critical condition and were taken to a trauma center, Mr. Jadallah said.
Runway excursions — in which an aircraft overruns or otherwise leaves a runway during takeoff or landing — are the most common type of aviation accident reported annually, according to the International Air Transport Association, a global aviation trade group. They can happen for many reasons, including unstable approaches, runway conditions and crosswinds.
The cause of Sunday’s crash was not immediately apparent.
Where did it occur?
The cargo plane left a runway at Miami International Airport, about 10 miles from downtown Miami.
The airport is surrounded by warehouses, office parks and residential neighborhoods.
Another cargo plane crash killed five people at the same Miami airport in August 1997. A Fine Air DC-8 pitched sharply upward after takeoff, stalled and crashed into an open field. It burst into flames, skidded across a six-lane highway and into parking lot. The National Transportation Safety Board found that the plane’s cargo had been improperly loaded.
What plane was involved?
The plane was a Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft built in 1994, according to Cirium records. It was operated for Amazon.
Amazon Air runs more than 250 flights a day, helping shippers quickly move packages around the world. The air cargo network is a key part of the company’s shipping operations.
Amazon Air contracts out its cargo flights. The plane that crashed on Sunday was operated by 21 Air, which operates eight planes for the company. 21 Air says the aircraft model involved in the crash can carry 55 tons and offers “excellent fuel efficiency.”
How did it affect airport operations?
Thousands of passengers traveling during the Labor Day weekend had their flights delayed or canceled.
Officials stopped all arrivals and departures at Miami International shortly before 2 p.m. Two of the airport’s four runways reopened about three hours later. According to FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, at least 187 flights had been canceled and 266 had been delayed on Sunday.
Many travelers scrambled to book new tickets. Some headed to the airport in Fort Lauderdale, about an hour away.
Who was killed?
Authorities had not released identities of those killed as of Sunday evening.
Johnny Diaz, Richard Fausset, Niraj Chokshi, Stacy Cowley, David Ovalle, Reshma Kirpalani, Bernard Mokam and McKinnon de Kuyper contributed reporting.
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