The Amazon freighter aircraft that overran the runway at Miami International Airport left a trail of "utter devastation" as it plowed through vehicles and infrastructure, according to National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy. The airport will continue operating at reduced capacity until recovery operations are complete and investigators can safely access the aircraft, she said.

The NTSB chief provided additional details about the deadly accident, which resulted in five deaths and at least five injured persons — three of them in critical condition — during a news conference streamed live from the airport Monday afternoon.

Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-300 converted freighter operated on behalf of Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) by 21 Air, was on its third run of the day when it arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, at around 2 p.m. Sunday. The aircraft had flown from Amazon's superhub at Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport to Miami, then on to San Juan before returning. The aircraft type is a passenger jet converted to carry freight, a common practice in cargo aviation, and Amazon's air network relies on contracted carriers such as 21 Air to fly its routes alongside other operators.

During landing, the cargo jet overran Runway 30, struck navigational aids and equipment, and slammed into a 2012 Ford Econoline van owned by Professional Ocean Services Corp., a contract cleaning company for airlines. Seven people were on board the van.

The aircraft then broke through a perimeter fence, struck a Toyota Corolla Cross on a main street, continued across the grass and hit another fence line protecting a lot full of Tesla robotaxis. The plane traveled about 1,300 feet past the paved runway, Homendy said.

"There's debris everywhere. The Econoline van is torn apart. It is devastating [to see]. And then the SUV, you can see the surrounding airbags. You can see components from vehicles, both passenger vehicles and the aircraft itself. And certainly components of navigational aids. Debris from the airport and then certainly fencing everywhere. It's pretty extensive," she said.

Two of Miami airport's four runways remain closed. When they will reopen is unclear, because NTSB investigators must first document the scene and gain access to the aircraft, which is still not safe to do, the chairwoman explained.

"It's going to take time. We hope that we can move through it swiftly because we know it is impacting flight operations here," she said. "There's fuel everywhere that will have to be remediated, but then they are also removing fuel from the aircraft. So we have to allow that to occur."

Miami International Airport is a major passenger and cargo hub connecting Europe, North America and South America, so prolonged runway closures can affect both passenger schedules and air freight flows through the region.

Investigators have already begun collecting evidence, including tire marks along the plane's path. The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder were recovered and are on their way to NTSB headquarters in Washington, D.C., for analysis.

Teams of experts will examine every aspect of the accident, including operations, pilot performance, flight history, flight crew experience, training, 21 Air policies and procedures, the contractual relationship with Amazon, FAA oversight of all operators, air traffic control, radar data, pilot transmissions, airframe wreckage, aircraft systems and engines, and weather conditions.

MIA does not have an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), a specialized safety bed made of crushable material installed at the end of a runway to safely stop aircraft that overshoot during takeoff or landing. About 72 airports in the United States have an EMAS system. Homendy said the board will also examine whether EMAS could have reduced the damage.

"We have investigated many runway excursions … since 2008. If we are repeatedly investigating an accident or tragedy and our recommendations are not implemented, then we're here again and again and again," she said.

The NTSB is expected to publish a preliminary report on the accident within 30 days. A full report with recommendations could take a year or more.

Source: FreightWaves