Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Sep 6

Fine Air DC-8 Crash Killed 5 in 1997 as Improper Loading Triggered Miami Disaster

Updated

Updated · The New York Times · Sep 6

Fine Air DC-8 Crash Killed 5 in 1997 as Improper Loading Triggered Miami Disaster

Q: With no emergency declared before landing, what hidden failure caused the deadly Boeing 767 crash in Miami?

The hidden failure has not been identified yet. What is known is that the Boeing 767, operated by 21 Air for Amazon Air, landed at Miami International Airport and then overran Runway 30, struck vehicles and caught fire. Air traffic control audio reviewed by news outlets indicated the pilots did not declare an emergency before landing, which suggests there was no obvious distress call warning controllers of a major onboard problem. Investigators have not said whether the underlying cause was mechanical, operational, braking-related, thrust-reverser related, tire or hydraulic failure, contaminated runway conditions, excessive landing speed, or another issue. Early reporting only establishes that the aircraft was unable to stop on a runway more than 9,000 feet long. Preliminary tracking data cited by reporters showed the jet was moving at about 128 mph as it went off the runway, but that alone does not explain why it failed to stop. Inspection crews reported no aircraft debris on the runway before the excursion, though the plane damaged navigational equipment after leaving the pavement. The FAA and NTSB are investigating, and that inquiry will focus on the aircraft’s systems, crew actions, landing performance data, runway condition, and cockpit recordings. So, despite the lack of an emergency declaration, there is currently no confirmed “hidden failure” publicly identified as the cause of the crash.

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 6

Five people died in the August 1997 Fine Air crash at Miami International Airport when a DC-8 bound for the Dominican Republic stalled shortly after takeoff and exploded after crossing a field, highway and parking lot.
NTSB investigators found the cargo plane was improperly loaded and that Fine Air had failed to control its cargo-loading process, causing the aircraft to lose stability.
Three crew members, a security guard aboard the plane and a motorist hit by wreckage were killed; officials said the crash could have been worse because many nearby workers were out at lunch.
The disaster later led to criminal fallout: Fine Air admitted supervisors ordered altered cargo manifests, and Aeromar Airlines admitted destroying forms and surveillance footage tied to the load.
The 1997 crash is being revisited because Sunday’s Miami cargo-plane disaster also killed five, underscoring the risks around a major freight hub surrounded by roads, warehouses and neighborhoods.