Amazon Airlines Accused of Botched Landing Maneuvers

Lawsuit Alleges Botched Landing and Missing Safety Systems

The complaint, reported by Courthouse News and filed by Yaraisi Santiso Morejon—whose husband, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, died in the disaster—alleges that the fatal Boeing 767 crash was caused by pilot error, poor personnel training, and the use of an unairworthy aircraft. Naranjo was one of five people killed when the freighter overran a runway and struck two vehicles on Sunday, triggering an intense fire. The lawsuit asserts that This disaster was not an unavoidable accident, pointing to an active thunderstorm in the area at the time of the approach.

According to the court filing, the aircraft touched down more than 40 knots—equivalent to 46 mph—faster than recommended speed and landed roughly 4,000 feet past the target zone. The complaint names Captain Joseph Carroll, 55, and co-pilot Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, accusing them of failing to perform a proper nose-flare maneuver to slow the aircraft’s rate of descent. When the approach became unstable, the crew allegedly failed to execute a mandatory go-around or declare an emergency before the jet plowed through perimeter fencing and overran the runway by approximately 1,300 feet.

Amazon Cargo Plane Crash at Miami International Airport Kills Five People

Data Shows Key Braking Systems Did Not Deploy

Federal investigators have scrutinized the technical performance of the 32-year-old aircraft during its final moments. Authorities revealed that key braking systems, including speed brakes and thrust reversers, were not deployed during the landing attempt, based on recorded data recovered from the scene.

Amazon Plane Crash: Recorders Recovered from ‘Devastating’ Site

The lawsuit targets all three major entities tied to the flight. Atlas Air, the aircraft owner, is accused of supplying an aging plane and failing to ensure its critical stopping systems were fully operational. Flight operator 21 Air faces allegations of providing inadequate crew training, poor supervision, and demanding schedules that ignored prior safety complaints from former employees. Crews were reportedly pushed to fly without proper rest, and aircraft remained in service despite ongoing mechanical problems.

Corporate Responses and Ongoing Federal Oversight

Amazon defended its logistics network by emphasizing that independent air carriers represent standard practice in commercial aviation. The retail giant stated that every jet operated on its behalf is flown by an FAA-certified air carrier under strict federal oversight.

“The FAA actively oversees each carrier’s programs and any changes are individually reviewed and approved by the FAA. These programs require: licensed individuals to perform regulated activities, recurrent training of licensed personnel, and routine aircraft inspections and maintenance at regular intervals.”

Amazon Cargo Plane Crashes at Miami Airport

Amazon representative, via Fox Business

Flight operator 21 Air also issued a public statement following the tragedy. Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives. Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available, the operator said.

The National Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the exact sequence of events leading up to the overrun, with federal officials having yet to release an official determination of probable cause.