Cargo plane overruns runway at Miami International Airport, FAA says
Amazon Cargo Jet Runs Off Runway at Miami International, Triggering Massive Fire Response
Tyunews.com – A wide-body freighter belonging to Amazon's air-cargo division left the paved surface of Miami International Airport's diagonal runway on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 6, sending more than sixty fire units rushing to the scene as the aircraft caught fire at the northwest end of the facility. The incident grounded every runway and taxiway at one of the busiest airports in the southeastern United States and forced a full ground stop that stranded thousands of passengers in terminals and on tarmac.
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 767-300 operating as Prime Air Flight 7598. Prime Air is the dedicated cargo airline operated by Amazon, the e-commerce giant that has built one of the largest private air-freight fleets in the world. The jet had departed Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, earlier that Sunday and was on approach to Miami when it failed to stop within the available runway length.
What the FAA and Airport Authorities Confirmed
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a brief statement confirming the event. The agency identified the flight number, aircraft type, origin airport, and approximate time of the overrun.
"21 Air Flight 7598 overran the runway after landing at Miami International Airport around 2 p.m. local time on Sunday, Sept. 6. The Boeing 767-300 cargo aircraft departed from Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico."
Miami International Airport issued its own account, noting that the aircraft came to rest disabled at the northwest end of the property after crossing the diagonal runway's threshold.
"At approximately 2 p.m. today, Prime Air flight 7598 overran Miami International Airport's diagonal runway and is disabled at the northwest end of the airport."
The airport added that all runways and taxiways were shut down by 3:00 p.m. and that a ground stop was in effect, meaning no departures or arrivals could proceed until crews completed inspections and cleared the affected surfaces.
"All runways and taxiways at MIA are currently closed as of 3:00 p.m. and a ground stop is in effect. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (MDFR) has responded."
Firefighters Confront Active Blaze
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue posted details on X describing the scale of the emergency. More than sixty units converged on the crash site, where the aircraft had ignited after leaving the runway.
"Over 60 Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units are on scene of an incident involving a plane that overran a runway and struck multiple vehicles near Miami International Airport."
"Units arrived to find an airplane that had caught on fire as a result of this crash, with heavy flames and smoke showing. Firefighters are working on extinguishing the fire and assessing patients."
Air-traffic-control audio archived by LiveATC.com indicated that the jet not only departed the end of the runway but may also have collided with a vehicle traveling on a perimeter road adjacent to the airfield. The mention of multiple vehicles struck, combined with the fire, raised immediate questions about injuries among both flight crew and ground personnel.
Why This Matters for Miami's Aviation Network
Miami International Airport serves as a principal cargo gateway for Latin America and the Caribbean, handling tens of millions of pounds of freight annually. A full ground stop at MIA cascades quickly: flights bound for or arriving from Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Brazil, and dozens of other destinations are delayed or diverted while investigators and maintenance crews assess runway geometry, pavement integrity, and the condition of the disabled aircraft.
The Boeing 767-300 is a wide-body twin-engine jet originally designed for passenger service but widely converted to freighter configuration. Its length of roughly 159 feet and maximum takeoff weight near 280,000 pounds make it a demanding aircraft to stop on a wet or short runway, particularly when fully loaded with cargo. Runway overruns of this class of aircraft, while uncommon, carry outsized consequences because of the fuel load, the size of the airframe, and the proximity of perimeter roads and airport infrastructure.
Prime Air has expanded its fleet rapidly over the past several years, adding 767 freighters alongside smaller 737 and 757 cargo jets to support Amazon's same-day and next-day delivery promises. The airline operates hundreds of daily flights across North America, South America, and Europe, making any single-incident disruption at a hub airport a significant operational event.
Investigation and Ongoing Developments
The FAA, along with the National Transportation Safety Board, will open a formal investigation into the cause of the overrun. Factors under examination typically include runway surface conditions at the time of touchdown, braking performance, possible tailwind or crosswind components, aircraft weight at landing, and whether any mechanical anomaly contributed to the event. The presence of fire and possible vehicle strikes adds layers of complexity to the inquiry.
As of the latest available information, the story remains developing. Passengers at Miami International were advised to monitor airline notifications and airport signage for updated departure times. Cargo shippers and freight forwarders with shipments scheduled through MIA that evening faced immediate delays while the airport worked to reopen at least one runway for limited operations.
No official casualty count had been released at the time of publication. Firefighters continued to work the scene, and airport authorities indicated that a full reopening of all surfaces would depend on engineering inspections and clearance of debris.
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