Amazon Cargo Plane Crash: NTSB Data Reveals Speed Warnings and Failed Abort Attempt

Cockpit Voice Recorder Captures Speed Warnings

According to the National Transportation Safety Board’s summary of the cockpit voice recorder, one pilot repeatedly warned the other that the aircraft was moving too fast during the final approach and immediately after touchdown. The warnings continued for nearly two minutes, as reported by Fox News. Joseph Carroll, 55, and First Officer Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, both employed by cargo airline 21 Air, according to Fox News. The NTSB summary did not specify which pilot issued the speed warnings or which pilot received them, as noted by Fox News. Furthermore, the receiving pilot never gave a consistent verbal response to the cautions during the descent, according to Fox News.

Flight Data and Unstable Approach Details

Flight data recorder information analyzed by investigators indicates the aircraft made an unstable approach amid strong winds, according to Fox News. FlightRadar24 data shows the Boeing 767 cargo plane touched down nearly 5,000 feet into the airport’s 9,360-foot Runway 30, leaving the crew with less than half the remaining runway distance to bring the heavy aircraft to a halt, as reported by Fox News. The cockpit voice recorder also captured automated alerts, including repeated sink rate and too low terrain warnings, during the final descent, according to Fox News. After touching down awkwardly, the flight crew briefly attempted to execute a go-around by advancing throttles and releasing the brakes before abandoning the maneuver about four seconds later, according to Fox News. The aircraft then overran the end of the runway by approximately 1,300 feet, striking a van parked off airport property.

Ground Casualties and Immediate Aftermath

The collision with the van resulted in five fatalities on the ground, according to NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy, who spoke with reporters on September 8, 2026, as reported by Fox News. The victims were members of an airport plane-cleaning crew working in the vehicle when the cargo jet barreled past the runway perimeter, according to Fox News. Five other individuals sustained injuries in the incident, including two who remained in critical condition as of September 8, 2026, according to Fox News. The two pilots sustained injuries during the crash, but they were treated and subsequently released by medical personnel before speaking with federal investigators on September 9, 2026, according to Fox News. Federal investigators continue to analyze flight data recorders and cockpit voice logs to determine the exact sequence of events leading up to the runway overrun.