Amazon Jet May Have Aborted Landing, Five Dead

Federal investigators say the Amazon cargo jet that ran off a Miami International Airport runway and killed five people appeared to briefly try to abort its landing seconds before the crash.

The National Transportation Safety Board said flight-recorder data from the Boeing 767 shows the crew applied the brakes after touchdown, released them, and pushed the throttles to power "consistent with go-around thrust" 15 seconds before the recorder stopped. Four seconds later the throttles went back to idle and the brakes were reapplied.

The jet, operated by 21 Air for Amazon Air, overran the runway while landing Sunday, struck navigational equipment, tore through a perimeter fence and hit a van carrying aircraft cleaning crews. Five people in the van were killed.

NTSB investigator in charge Chihoon Shin said there was "no indication in the recorded data that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed" — two systems that help slow a jet after landing. The plane was still moving at 65 knots when the recording ended.

The Numbers

The nose gear and right main landing gear touched down first at a ground speed of 158 knots, according to the NTSB. The left main gear touched down 11 seconds later, after the brakes were already applied. The aircraft came to rest about 1,300 feet past the paved surface. It was arriving from Puerto Rico with roughly 32,000 pounds of cargo, mostly contact lenses, and no hazardous materials aboard, NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said.