Hector Ossa J. · CC BY 4.0 · cropped
Amazon said on September 13 that it is pausing its cargo operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598, after a Boeing 767-300 overran a runway at Miami International Airport on September 6 and killed five people on the ground. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company reviewed some of the circumstances around the crash while supporting the National Transportation Safety Board investigation.
The pause covers Amazon's use of 21 Air as a cargo carrier. It does not cancel passenger flying at Miami International Airport or stop Amazon package delivery, because Amazon says it will move affected shipments to other operators. The NTSB has not determined a cause.
- What changed: Amazon is pausing its cargo operations with 21 Air, operator of Flight 7598, after the September 6 fatal crash at Miami International Airport.
- When: Amazon announced the pause on September 13, a week after the September 6 crash; it is a corporate decision, not a regulatory finding.
- Who absorbs the flying: Sun Country, Hawaiian, Air Transport International, ABX Air, ASL Airlines and Cargojet handle shipments Amazon would have assigned to 21 Air.
- Not affected: Passenger flights at Miami International Airport and Amazon package delivery continue, because the pause is a cargo-carrier contracting change.
- Investigation status: The NTSB has not determined a cause; it has released cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder details only.
What Amazon Suspended and When
The change is a contracting decision, not a regulatory action. Nantel said Amazon decided to pause operations with 21 Air after the fatal crash, and that the company would keep supporting the investigation and everyone affected.
Amazon did not disclose the specific factors behind the pause. Nantel pointed to supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, language that stops short of assigning fault. 21 Air remains the operator named in Flight 7598.
What It Means for Miami Travel and Packages
The crash happened just before 2 p.m. ET on September 6, when a 21 Air Boeing 767-300 arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico overran Runway 30 at Miami International Airport and struck two vehicles, according to officials.
Five people on the ground were killed and five were injured. Authorities identified the dead as Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
One of the vehicles struck was a van carrying workers for an airline cleaning service, according to officials.
Which Carriers Pick Up the Flying
Amazon said it will use other carriers to transport shipments that would have been assigned to 21 Air. It listed Sun Country Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Transport International, ABX Air, ASL Airlines and Cargojet.
21 Air is incorporated in North Carolina and specializes in cargo shipments to and from Mexico, according to NBC News.
What the NTSB Has Released So Far
The National Transportation Safety Board released a summary of cockpit voice recorder data. It indicates that as one pilot tried to land, the other cautioned repeatedly that the aircraft was going too fast, and there was no consistent verbal response to those comments about speed.
The data suggested the plane touched down, and about 15 seconds later a pilot called for a go-around, a maneuver in which a plane aborts its landing by pulling up and circling to try to land again. The flight data recorder showed thrust increasing in a way consistent with that attempt.
The NTSB investigator in charge, Chihoon Shin, said the speed brakes and thrust reversers were not deployed and it was not clear why. Speed brakes help an aircraft slow down, and thrust reversers are often used to slow a plane on landing. Nothing released so far links the pause to the cause.
What Amazon and 21 Air Have Said
Amazon's September 13 statement said the company would continue working to support the investigation and everyone affected. Earlier updates, dated September 6 through 9, offered condolences, said the airplane was attempting to land, described Amazon leaders meeting local officials and first responders in Miami to offer support, and said Amazon would continue coordinating with 21 Air.
21 Air said Sunday that it remains focused on supporting those affected and working closely with the NTSB and partners including Amazon as the investigation continues. The carrier said it is confident in its safety policies, procedures and training.
21 Air chief executive Keith Winters offered condolences to the families of the dead and injured immediately after the crash and pledged cooperation with investigators. He said the company's immediate priorities were supporting those affected, assisting the authorities and communicating accurate information.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| You are flying through Miami International Airport | Expect no change to passenger schedules; the 21 Air pause covers Amazon cargo flying only. |
| You are waiting on an Amazon package | Shipments from the 21 Air network move to Sun Country, Hawaiian, ATI, ABX, ASL or Cargojet. |
| You want to know the cause of Flight 7598 | Direct questions to the NTSB; Amazon and 21 Air say the investigation continues and no cause is established. |
- Investigation data: Investigators have released recorder summaries only, and the cause of the September 6 overrun remains undetermined.
- Amazon's carrier list: Amazon named six replacement operators and has not disclosed the specific factors behind the pause.
- Miami operations: The NTSB is working on the ground at Miami International Airport, where passenger traffic is unaffected by Amazon's decision.
- 21 Air's response: The carrier says it is cooperating with investigators and confident in its safety policies, procedures and training.
Did Amazon suspend passenger flights?
No. The pause applies to Amazon's cargo operations with 21 Air, the operator of Flight 7598. Passenger airlines flying into Miami International Airport are not part of the decision.
When did the pause take effect?
Amazon announced it on September 13, a week after the September 6 crash. The company has not linked the decision to any specific cause.
Which carriers took over the shipments?
Amazon named Sun Country Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, Air Transport International, ABX Air, ASL Airlines and Cargojet as carriers it will use instead.
What has the NTSB established?
The NTSB says cockpit voice recorder data showed one pilot warning about speed with no consistent response, and the flight data recorder showed thrust consistent with a go-around attempt. The cause remains undetermined.
