Federal Investigation into Fatal Miami Airport Cargo Plane Crash

Federal investigators have arrived in South Florida to determine the cause of a deadly crash involving an Amazon cargo plane at Miami International Airport. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon and resulted in a devastating scene.

Witnesses are beginning to recount their experiences during the incident. Grace Mercado, who was in a vehicle at the time, shared her reaction. ‘We heard a noise,’ she recalled. Her partner then asked, ‘Is that a plane crash?’ Looking up from her phone, Mercado saw the plane had overshot the runway, crossed a street, and halted dramatically. ‘It was extremely loud,’ she described. ‘It was unlike anything I’d ever heard. It felt like a shake. I can’t compare it to anything else.’

Mercado described feeling disoriented while trying to comprehend the scene. ‘The plane was in smoke,’ she recounted. ‘It felt like a movie, a surreal experience.’

A photo captured by Joe Raedle shows the Amazon cargo plane crash at Miami International Airport on September 6, 2026. Initially, first responders were not immediately present, but they soon arrived. ‘There weren’t any ambulances initially,’ Mercado said. ‘But they were there in under a minute. It was unbelievable.’

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue reported that more than 60 units and around 200 personnel responded to the crash site, with the first units arriving within seconds. The tragic incident resulted in five fatalities and five injuries.

In a statement, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue expressed condolences: ‘Our hearts are with the victims and their families following Sunday’s tragic cargo plane crash. We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and keep those injured in our thoughts.’

Mercado reported observing no movement around the crashed airplane, noticing only a heavy presence of smoke. ‘It’s something you don’t expect to see in real life,’ she said.

Investigations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are underway to understand why the aircraft left the runway and crashed. Identities of the victims remain undisclosed.