Photo: Joe Raedle / Getty Images News / Getty Images
Cockpit voice recordings from the Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport reveal that one pilot repeatedly warned the other that the aircraft was "too fast" during the final approach and after touchdown, according to a preliminary investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). The crash on Sunday (September 6) killed five people on the ground and injured several others, while both pilots survived.
The pilots, identified as Joseph Carroll, 55, and Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, worked for cargo airline 21 Air, which has operated Amazon flights since 2024. According to the NTSB’s summary of the cockpit audio, one pilot voiced concerns about excessive speed for nearly two minutes, but the other gave no consistent verbal response. Automated warnings like "sink rate" and "too low terrain" also sounded in the cockpit as the plane descended. The aircraft landed awkwardly, touching down almost halfway down the 9,360-foot runway and with strong tailwinds possibly contributing to the high speed.
After landing, the pilots briefly attempted a go-around by applying takeoff power and releasing the brakes, but stopped the maneuver four seconds later and reapplied the brakes. The Boeing 767 then ran roughly 1,300 feet past the end of the runway, crashing into a van carrying airport cleaning workers and then a compact SUV, before catching fire. All five people killed were in the van, and three others, including two in critical condition, were hospitalized. The pilots were treated and released before being interviewed by investigators on Wednesday.
Flight data showed that neither thrust reversers nor speed brakes were deployed, which could have helped slow the plane. The NTSB is continuing its investigation, reviewing weather conditions, the plane’s maintenance history, and the actions of 21 Air. The agency has not yet released a full transcript of the cockpit conversation and has not determined why the pilot receiving the warnings did not respond or act sooner.
The crash has also led to a wrongful death lawsuit against Amazon, 21 Air, and the pilots, alleging negligence and multiple failures contributed to the tragedy.
As the NTSB continues to gather evidence, including interviews and technical data, the final cause of the crash remains under investigation. The agency says it will release further details as they are confirmed.