An Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday afternoon, struck multiple vehicles and caught fire, forcing a ground stop as emergency crews responded to the crash.

The Federal Aviation Administration said 21 Air Flight 7598 overran the runway after landing at about 2 p.m. local time on September 6. The Boeing 767-300 freighter had flown from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the aircraft struck multiple vehicles after leaving the runway. More than 60 fire-rescue units were sent to the scene, where crews encountered heavy flames and smoke and began extinguishing the fire while assessing patients.

Local officials later reported multiple injuries, but authorities had not publicly released a complete count or the severity of those injuries as of late Sunday afternoon.

What happened

Prime Air Flight 7598 arrived in Miami shortly before 2 p.m. after a flight of a little more than two hours from San Juan. Flight-tracking data listed an actual arrival time of 1:53 p.m. Eastern.

Miami International Airport said the aircraft overran the airport’s diagonal runway and became disabled at the northwest end of the airport. Air traffic control recordings cited by ABC News indicated that the aircraft continued beyond the end of the runway and into the perimeter-road area.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said the plane struck multiple vehicles near the airport. Images and video from the scene showed the aircraft off the runway with thick black smoke rising as firefighters worked around it.

Authorities had not established why the aircraft failed to stop within the runway environment. No official cause had been announced, and early reports did not identify a mechanical failure, weather condition or crew action as responsible.

Airport operations were halted

The crash immediately disrupted operations at Miami International Airport.

The FAA’s Air Traffic Control System Command Center issued a ground stop at about 2:30 p.m. By 3 p.m., Miami International Airport said all runways and taxiways were closed while emergency crews handled the scene.

The Associated Press reported that roughly 250 flights had already been delayed by late afternoon. Other flight-tracking data showed cancellations and diversions building as the closure continued.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said travelers should expect significant delays and possible cancellations. The FAA also warned that even after the airport began reopening, arrivals and departures could resume at a reduced rate rather than immediately returning to normal.

That means the disruption can continue after a ground stop is lifted. Aircraft, flight crews and passengers displaced by diversions and cancellations may take hours to reposition.

Multiple people were injured

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said responders were assessing multiple patients after the crash. Local 10 reported that officials confirmed multiple people had been injured, although the department did not immediately provide additional information about their conditions.

Early official statements did not confirm any fatalities.

Authorities also had not publicly provided a full breakdown of whether the injured people were aboard the cargo plane, inside vehicles struck by the aircraft, or both.

The aircraft itself sustained visible fire and impact damage. Photos from the scene showed the Boeing 767 largely intact but resting beyond the runway area with scorch marks and damage around the forward portion of the plane.

What is known about the aircraft

The FAA identified the aircraft as a Boeing 767-300 cargo jet operated by 21 Air. Amazon confirmed that the plane was operating as part of its air-cargo network.

21 Air is a cargo carrier that operates aircraft for customers including Amazon. The flight carried Prime Air branding, but the aircraft was operated by 21 Air rather than directly by Amazon.

Associated Press reporting said the aircraft involved in Sunday’s crash was about 32 years old and had originally been built for passenger service before later being converted into a freighter.

An aircraft’s age alone does not establish whether it is safe or explain an accident. Commercial jets can remain in service for decades when they meet required maintenance and inspection standards. Investigators will focus on the condition and operation of this specific aircraft and the circumstances of the landing.

Amazon and emergency officials respond

Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel described the incident as a fast-moving situation and said the company was working with local authorities to understand what happened. Amazon said its priority was the safety and care of those involved.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue mounted a large response, sending more than 60 units to extinguish the aircraft fire and assess patients. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office also responded around the crash area.

The airport urged passengers with Sunday travel plans to check directly with their airlines before heading to Miami International as delays and cancellations accumulated.

The investigation is beginning

The FAA said it will investigate the runway overrun. The National Transportation Safety Board was also gathering information about the crash on Sunday.

The first phase will center on documenting the aircraft, runway, impact area and available flight data before evidence is moved or repaired. Investigators can use the aircraft’s flight-data recorder and cockpit-voice recorder, air traffic control communications, maintenance records, surveillance footage and physical evidence from the scene.

Key factual questions include where the aircraft touched down, its speed and configuration during landing, the performance of its braking and other systems, runway conditions and what the flight crew experienced before the overrun.

None of those areas should be treated as an identified cause at this stage. A preliminary report can provide an early factual account, while a final determination of probable cause typically takes substantially longer.

What remains unknown

Several important details were still unresolved late Sunday afternoon.

Authorities had not released a final injury count or detailed the severity of the injuries. The full extent of damage to the vehicles and airport property was also still being assessed.

Most importantly, officials had not said why Flight 7598 continued beyond the runway after landing.

Until the FAA, NTSB or other investigating authorities release evidence, explanations about the cause remain speculation.

This is a developing story and may be updated as officials release additional information.

Sources

This article was prepared with AI assistance and reviewed and approved by TrendPulse Analytics before publication.