NTSB to release readout from cockpit voice recorder following Amazon cargo plane crash that killed 5
NTSB Prepares Cockpit Recorder Readout After Deadly Amazon Air Runway Overrun
Tyunews.com – Federal investigators are preparing to release details from the cockpit voice recorder of an Amazon Air cargo plane that ran beyond the runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday, struck a van and killed five people.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it expects to issue a recorder readout Wednesday after speaking with the two pilots who were on the aircraft’s flight deck. Both pilots were treated at a hospital and later released, the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office said.
The crash involved Amazon Air Flight 7598, which had arrived from Puerto Rico carrying roughly 32,000 pounds of cargo. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said the shipment consisted primarily of contact lenses.
Recorders provide investigators with key evidence
Investigators recovered both major onboard recording devices: the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder. Homendy said the voice recorder contains two hours of usable, high-quality audio, while the flight data recorder holds 55 hours of information.
Those systems can help reconstruct the final stages of the flight. The voice recorder captures sounds and communications in the cockpit, while the data recorder tracks aircraft performance and the actions of many onboard systems. Together, the records can help investigators establish the sequence of events without determining the cause before the evidence has been fully reviewed.
NTSB investigator Chihoon Shin said an initial examination of some recorded data showed the aircraft approaching to land. Several seconds before the available recording ended, the throttles increased in a manner consistent with go-around thrust.
“Go-around thrust”
A go-around is a maneuver in which a crew discontinues a landing attempt and adds power to continue flying rather than completing the landing. The early data review showed the brakes were applied again a few seconds after the throttle increase and remained engaged through the end of the recording.
Shin said the preliminary information did not show deployment of speed brakes or thrust reversers. These systems can help slow an aircraft during and after landing, but investigators have not announced why they were not reflected in the data reviewed so far or whether any other factors affected the landing sequence.
Five van occupants were killed
After leaving the runway, the cargo aircraft collided with a Ford Econoline van used by a company that cleans aircraft. Seven people were inside the van at the time of the crash.
The five people killed were identified by the Miami-Dade County Sheriff’s Office as Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Narajo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
The crash left a scene of extensive destruction near the airfield, with investigators examining the aircraft, damaged vehicles and the surrounding runway environment. The NTSB’s work will include reviewing the crew’s account, aircraft records, recorded data and any physical evidence relevant to the overrun.
What the next stage of the investigation may clarify
The planned release of the cockpit recorder readout may offer further detail about what the pilots discussed and what they experienced during the approach and landing. It will not, by itself, settle the investigation. Safety investigators typically compare cockpit communications with flight data, aircraft condition, airport operations and other evidence before reaching conclusions.
The pilot interviews are also an important part of that process. Their recollections can help investigators identify matters to examine more closely, though the recorder information and physical evidence remain central to establishing the final timeline.
Questions likely to be explored include the aircraft’s speed and configuration during the approach, the decision-making surrounding the apparent go-around thrust, braking actions, runway conditions and the performance of relevant aircraft systems. No final findings have been released.
For Miami International Airport, the incident underscores the seriousness of runway overruns, particularly when aircraft leave protected airfield areas and enter locations where ground personnel or vehicles may be present. The collision affected not only the flight crew but also workers performing airport-related duties on the ground.
As investigators continue their examination, the focus remains on explaining how Flight 7598 came to overrun the runway and identifying any safety lessons that could help prevent similar tragedies. The five deaths make the investigation especially urgent for the victims’ families, airport workers and the broader aviation community.
Related Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What is NTSB to release readout from cockpit?NTSB to release readout from cockpit is the main topic of this guide. The article explains the context, practical details, and next steps readers should understand.
Why does NTSB to release readout from cockpit matter?NTSB to release readout from cockpit matters because readers are looking for a useful answer, not just a short summary. Good content should match search intent and help them decide what to do next.