NTSB data highlights cockpit speed warnings in Amazon cargo plane crash
New flight data indicates a pilot warned of excessive speed during the final approach, while the co-pilot’s response was described as inconsistent.
The US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released preliminary flight data and cockpit voice recorder summaries regarding the crash of Amazon Prime Air Flight 7598 at Miami International Airport. The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft overshot the runway, struck ground equipment and vehicles, and burst into flames on Sunday. The data indicates the aircraft was travelling at a high landing speed of 158 knots (292km/h) during the final approach.
The NTSB update noted that one pilot issued multiple warnings about "the aircraft's excessive speed" throughout the remainder of the recording. However, the board stated there was "not a consistent verbal response" from the co-pilot, even as an altitude alarm sounded. Electronic callouts for "sink rate" and "too low terrain" were also triggered during the final minutes, indicating the aircraft was descending too quickly and flying too close to the ground without being fully prepared for landing.
Aviation attorney Pablo Rojas, speaking to CBS News, described the approach as potentially "doomed" based on the available summaries. He noted that the flap deployment data included in the NTSB update could be a significant area of concern. Rojas explained that flaps help the plane slow down and approach a landing gently, but in this instance, deployment occurred much later in the accident sequence, possibly as a reaction to the high speed.
After overshooting the runway, the plane struck a white Ford van, passed through a perimeter fence, and collided with a Toyota Corolla before coming to rest approximately 394 metres beyond the runway. The crash killed five members of a plane-cleaning crew and injured five others.
Miami authorities identified the five fatalities as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47. The NTSB is currently leading the investigation into the cause of the crash, with the released data providing the first detailed look at the aircraft's speed, altitude, and flap deployment during the final approach.
