MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — The two pilots involved in the fatal Boeing 767-300 cargo jet crash on Sunday at Miami International Airport faced scrutiny on Wednesday.
National Transportation Safety Board investigators questioned Joseph Carol and Jaime Silva about the record on the flight data and cockpit voice recorders.
The data appeared to indicate the pilots considered aborting the landing before the jet overtook MIA’s runway shortly after 1:50 p.m. on Sunday.
“That kind of hesitation is deadly in a runway like this,” said Attorney Pablo Rojas, an aviation expert familiar with Boeing who considered the data that NTSB investigators released on Tuesday night.
Five died, and five were injured after the jet operating as Prime Air Flight 798 for Amazon struck a white 2012 Ford E-150 Econoline van at MIA and a Toyota Corolla Cross LE SUV on Northwest 67th Avenue.
“First, they were trying to land, slow the plane down, bring it to a halt. Then, they hesitated and maybe tried to do a go around, meaning speed up again,” Rojas said. “Then, they made another change in their decision, which was to try to land again.”
There wasn’t an Engineered Materials Arresting System, or EMAS, a safety bed to stop the jet. It traveled for 1,300 feet “past the paved surface,” according to Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy.
The van, owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., a cleaning company, which had seven occupants, was torn apart, according to Homendy.
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Five died: Rolando Aleman Leon, 55; Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, 53; Julio C. Pineda, 75; Carlos Acosta Fajardo, 53; and Javierkys Reyes Quevedo, 47.
Two were injured: Ridoel Averhoff Diaz, 32, whose condition was critical on Tuesday, and Roosevelt Sebastian Perdomo Torres, 36, whose condition was stable on Tuesday.
The driver of the SUV, Eugenio Corredor, 79, whose condition was critical on Tuesday, was injured.
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The pilots suffered minor injuries, were treated at the hospital, and released, according to Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz.
Carol, 55, the captain, “received his type rating in the 76,” a mandatory certification for the Boeing 767, in May, and Silva, 37, the first officer, received his type rating in the 76 on April 2, 2025.
Silva had 2,655 flight hours as of Aug. 13 and Carol had 7,145 flight hours as of March 31, according to the NTSB.
Homendy said air controllers were “going through a difficult time, not just from the tragedy, but also trying to get through a capacity-constrained airport.”
One of MIA’s four runways remained closed on Wednesday, according to the NTSB. Two runways were closed from Sunday afternoon to Tuesday night.
Ralph Cutié, the director and chief executive officer of MIA, said the American Airlines special aircraft recovery team has a plan to remove the jet once the NTSB allows it.
Cordero-Stutz asked travelers to check with airlines for the status of their flights. She also warned drivers that 67th Avenue was closed to the public from 25th to 32nd streets.
Homendy asked witnesses to share photos and videos with the NTSB team via e-mail at witness@ntsb.gov.
Cordero-Stutz asked the victims’ relatives to contact MDSO victims’ advocates at 305-471-1900.
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