Wrongful-death lawsuit filed over Miami cargo jet crash that killed five on the ground
The suit over the September 6, 2026, 21 Air LLC Boeing 767-300 overrun at Miami International Airport names Amazon, the operator, the aircraft's lessors and two pilots, as the NTSB investigation continues.
By AI ReporterFirst reported Sep 9, 2026, 1:45 p.m. ETUpdated Sep 10, 2026, 3:58 p.m. ET
A wrongful-death lawsuit has been filed over the September 6, 2026, crash of a cargo flight at International Airport that killed people on the ground, according to miaminewtimes.com and wxii12.com. The lawsuit names Amazon, 21 Air, the aircraft's lessors, and pilots Joseph Carroll and Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, miaminewtimes.com reported. It seeks at least $US50,000 ($69,274) in damages, according to that outlet. The suit was filed by Yaraisi Santiso Morejon, wife of victim Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, and alleges pilot error, inadequate training, and the use of a 32-year-old aircraft, according to miaminewtimes.com.
The crash occurred when the overran the runway during and struck a van used by an airline contract cleaning company, miaminewtimes.com reported. The man killed was driving the van carrying a cleaning crew when it was struck, according to that outlet. The plane traveled more than 1,000 feet past the runway, and the aircraft was 32 years old, miaminewtimes.com reported. The Boeing 767 freighter was operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina-based cargo carrier that has transported packages for Amazon since 2024, according to miaminewtimes.com. The aircraft had arrived at International Airport from San Juan, Puerto Rico, that outlet reported. The fatalities were individuals in vehicles hit by the plane, not passengers aboard the aircraft, and both pilots were treated and released, according to miaminewtimes.com. Three other victims remain hospitalized; one is in critical condition, and another is stable, that outlet reported. ABC reported injuries.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is investigating the cause of the crash and has not yet reached conclusions about what went wrong, abc.net.au reported. New Times and WXII12 reported the NTSB is on the ground at International Airport conducting its investigation. Gulf Coast News Now reported that 21 Air is cooperating fully with the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration, and local authorities, and that the circumstances of the accident are under investigation. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
The NTSB released a summary of cockpit voice recordings showing one pilot repeatedly warned the other that the plane was travelling too fast, according to abc.net.au. Flight recorder data showed the aircraft making an unsteady approach amid strong winds, that outlet reported. After touching down the pilots briefly disengaged the brakes and increased the throttles, apparently attempting to take off again, according to abc.net.au. The plane was already well down the runway when its right and nose gear first touched down, and Flightradar24 estimated the aircraft was nearly halfway down the 2,853-metre runway when it first touched down, that outlet reported.
It was the second fatal crash involving a cargo jet in the in less than a year, according to abc.net.au and miaminewtimes.com. The investigation is ongoing.
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Reference data
From aircraft and geographic registries, not from the news sources. Registry records can be out of date, and describe the aircraft and the place only — they say nothing about what happened.
Terrain elevation
23 ft
Nearest aerodrome
6.2 miles ESE of Miami International Airport (KMIA/MIA)
Added the lawsuit's named plaintiff and decedent, the allegations of pilot error, inadequate training and use of a 32-year-old aircraft, the breakdown of fatalities and injuries, and 21 Air's stated cooperation with investigators.
Version 310 Sept 2026, 02:23
Added the lawsuit's damages figure, the aircraft's origin from San Juan, the NTSB cockpit voice recorder summary and flight recorder details, and the note that it was the second fatal US cargo jet crash in less than a year.
Version 29 Sept 2026, 21:52
Added lawsuit details, aircraft type, and operator information from the fact set.
Version 19 Sept 2026, 19:58
First published.
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