Flight recorder data from the Amazon Prime Air cargo aircraft that crashed at Miami International Airport suggests the crew may have made a late attempt to abandon the landing after the Boeing 767 had already touched down, US investigators said on Tuesday.
The aircraft, operated by Miami-based 21 Air, overran the runway by approximately 1,300 ft (396 m) on Sunday before striking two vehicles. The accident killed five people and injured another five.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said its initial analysis of the flight data recorder had identified a sequence of changes in engine power and braking that could be consistent with an attempt to execute a go-around.
According to the NTSB, the Boeing 767 was travelling at 158 knots (181 mph) when the nose gear and right main landing gear touched the runway, around 30 seconds before the flight recorder stopped. The left main gear made contact approximately 11 seconds later, when the aircraft’s speed had fallen to 134 knots.
Engine power was then increased while the brakes were released. Investigators said the combination of these actions was consistent with the application of go-around thrust, raising the possibility that the crew attempted to become airborne again despite the aircraft already being on the runway.
The apparent attempt was brief. Approximately 11 seconds before the end of the recorded data, engine power was reduced to idle and braking resumed. By the time the recording ended, the aircraft’s ground speed had fallen to 65 knots.
The flight data analysed so far also shows no indication that either the aircraft’s speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed during the landing roll, the NTSB said.
Investigators will now examine the sequence in greater detail as they seek to establish why the aircraft was unable to stop within the available runway distance and what led to the apparent late go-around attempt.
NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators were scheduled to interview both pilots on Wednesday. The cockpit voice recorder is also expected to provide additional information about the situation inside the flight deck and the decisions made by the crew during the critical final moments of the flight.
A team of 32 NTSB investigators is currently working at Miami International Airport. One of the two runways closed after the accident was reopened for departures towards the east on Tuesday evening, helping to ease some of the operational disruption caused by the investigation.
The aircraft had already operated two sectors earlier that Sunday. It first flew from Cincinnati to Miami before operating a Miami-San Juan service. It then returned from Puerto Rico for the accident flight, which took place at 1:53 p.m. EDT (1753 GMT).
The NTSB said the 55-year-old captain obtained his Boeing 767 type rating in May and had accumulated 7,145 hours of flight time.
The 37-year-old first officer received his Boeing 767 type rating in April 2025 and had 2,655 hours of flying experience.
The investigation remains focused on reconstructing the aircraft’s final approach and landing, determining why it could not be brought to a stop and establishing what prompted the apparent attempt to go around after touchdown.
