NEW DATA/FOOTAGE: Amazon Prime Cargo Jet Crash Miami International Airport [N1997A] Air 21 - Overrun

Amazon Air Cargo Plane Overruns Runway [0:00]

• An Amazon Air Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft, tail number N1997A, overran the runway at Miami International Airport.
• N1997A is notable as the first branded Amazon Air aircraft and its tail number references Amazon's 1997 IPO year.
• There are unconfirmed rumors of fatalities and injuries, but 60 rescue crew members responded.

  "an amazon air cargo plane has overrun the end of the runway at miami international"

Weather Conditions at Landing [0:40]

• Landing footage shows significant weather buildup in the background, typical of Florida afternoon thunderstorms.
• These storms can rapidly change weather conditions, affecting expected arrival weather.
• The storm system was moving east, having just cleared the airport.

  "you can actually see significant weather built up in the background"

Aircraft Approach and Landing [1:15]

• The aircraft appeared to be coming in with a rapid descent rate or being pushed by crosswinds.
• Footage shows some sway, possibly due to gusts, and a slight "float" during the flare before touchdown.
• The runway is grooved, suggesting standing water was likely not a major issue, unlike a flooded runway.

  "you can even see right there at the end a little bit of an extra float or a gust something that kept this flying potentially a little a little bit longer"

Wind Conditions and Tailwind Component [3:10]

• The METAR report one minute before landing indicated winds at 190 degrees at 17 knots, gusting to 26 knots.
• While within aircraft limits, these conditions created a significant crosswind (approx. 16 knots) and a slight tailwind component (up to 9 knots).
• A tailwind component increases landing speed and challenges the ability to slow down promptly.

  "the alignment of these 190 degree winds though not the most ideal for a potentially still wet runway and potentially a heavy cargo load"

Flight Data and Unstable Approach [5:10]

• ADSB data, considered a preliminary snapshot, indicates the aircraft landed around 15:04 Eastern Time.
• The approach showed a rapid and unstable descent rate, with vertical speeds fluctuating significantly, reaching up to 1800 feet per minute just before landing.
• This contrasts with the desired descent rate of 750-850 feet per minute for this aircraft type.

  "these rapid changes in the vertical feet per minute level right here indicate there was some stress going into this landing"

Landing Speed and Runway Length [11:00]

• ADSB data suggests a ground speed of approximately 181 knots at landing, potentially 20-30 knots faster than optimal, even accounting for crosswinds.
• The runway length was effectively shortened to about 7,900 feet due to displaced thresholds on both ends.
• The aircraft's speed, combined with the wet runway and potentially heavy load, may have exceeded the calculated landing distance.

  "it looks like this aircraft may have landed about 20 knots 20 potentially 25 ish knots too fast"

Potential Contributing Factors and Hope [15:00]

• Multiple factors, including thunderstorms, a wet runway, gusty crosswinds, a tailwind, a rapid descent, and high landing speed, likely compounded the challenge.
• The possibility of a mechanical issue, such as a nose gear failure, cannot be ruled out, referencing a similar incident with a 767 cargo jet in 2024.
• The cockpit area appears relatively intact, offering some hope for survivability and indicating aviation's inherent safety despite its unforgiving nature.

  "i would say there is hope and reason to be optimistic here as generally i like to say aviation is extremely safe it's just very unforgiving"