The National Transportation Safety Board has recovered the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder from a Boeing 767 cargo aircraft involved in a deadly crash at Miami International Airport.
The devices are expected to provide investigators with important information as they work to determine what happened during the aircraft’s attempted landing on Sunday.
The accident involved an Amazon cargo aircraft operated by 21 Air. Five people were killed, while five others sustained serious injuries.
Plane Overran Runway
The aircraft was landing shortly before 2:00pm local time after flying from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it went beyond the runway.
The plane had two crew members on board and was reportedly on its third flight of the day.
Following the runway overrun, the aircraft struck navigational equipment and continued through the airport’s perimeter fence before colliding with two vehicles.
A Ford van belonging to a contracted cleaning company, which had seven people inside, was among the vehicles hit. A Toyota Corolla carrying three people was also involved.
The aircraft finally stopped roughly 1,300 feet from the end of the runway.
Investigators Begin Detailed Examination
NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the investigation remains at the evidence-gathering stage and that it would be premature to speculate about the cause.
Investigators will study information from the aircraft’s flight recorders alongside radar data, the aircraft’s maintenance and flight history, crew qualifications and training records.
Specialists will also examine the aircraft’s engines and systems to determine whether any mechanical or technical issues played a role.
Weather conditions during the landing will be reviewed as part of the investigation.
Victim Recovery Remains Priority
Homendy said investigators were conscious of the devastating condition of the crash site and stressed that recovering the victims remained the immediate priority.
She indicated that detailed examination of the aircraft and other evidence could follow as emergency teams complete their work.
The NTSB will also consider the airport’s runway safety features, including whether an Engineered Materials Arresting System should have been installed.
EMAS is designed to help bring an aircraft to a stop when it overruns a runway, making its potential role in the Miami investigation a significant area of focus.
The recovered recorders will now undergo evaluation, but investigators are expected to avoid reaching conclusions until all available evidence has been examined.
BBC
