One of the pilots from an Amazon cargo plane that crashed in Miami was visibly shaken and distressed after the incident, as reported by a witness. The crash at Miami International Airport resulted in five fatalities. Abraham Altamar, who witnessed the crash, described the event as “surreal” and “scary.” At the time, he was on a FaceTime call when the pilot, appearing with minor injuries, approached him.
Altamar recounted how the pilot, although injured on the forehead and hand, refused an offer for emergency assistance, stating that they had already called 911. The pilot then requested to call his wife, using Altamar’s phone to assure her of his safety and inform her about the accident. The pilot expressed concern about his career, saying, “My career is over.”
The pilots were identified as Joseph Carroll, 55, and Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Chair, Jennifer Homendy, confirmed both pilots received medical treatment and were released. Their identities were determined through multiple sources, including a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office release and LinkedIn profiles. Carroll is listed as a captain for 21 Air, and Silva as a first officer for the same airline. On September 6, 2026, Prime Air Flight 7598 overran a runway while landing at the airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The NTSB has commenced an investigation into the incident. Preliminary information indicates the plane struck navigation equipment, collided with a van carrying a crew of seven, before breaking through barriers and hitting another vehicle outside the airport. Ultimately, the aircraft came to a halt near parked Tesla robotaxis. All fatalities were within the two impacted vehicles.
New cellphone footage reportedly shows a crew member evacuating the aircraft following the crash. The NTSB has yet to conduct interviews with the plane’s pilots. However, both black boxes, crucial for recording flight data and cockpit voice, have been retrieved for analysis in Washington, D.C. Both 21 Air and Amazon have pledged their full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.
Jennifer Homendy described the crash site during a news briefing, highlighting tire marks extending from the runway and scattered debris. The NTSB is examining whether certain safety measures could have mitigated the crash’s severity. The use of Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS) on runways lacking a full 1,000-foot safety area is under scrutiny, though the runway in question meets this requirement, according to Miami International Airport officials.