Safety complaints surface against 21 Air after fatal Amazon cargo crash in Miami
A Boeing 767 operated by 21 Air crashed in Miami, killing five, and former staff allege the carrier ignored safety concerns and retaliated against whistle-blowers.
The Amazon Prime Air Boeing 767 that crashed in Miami on Sunday, killing five people, was operated by 21 Air, a North Carolina carrier controlled by Houston Astros owner Jim Crane. Multiple former pilots, including Karl Seuring and Bruce Joseph, have accused the airline of silencing safety concerns, pressuring crews to work beyond rest limits, and flying aircraft with known mechanical issues. OSHA rejected a retaliation complaint, and the matter is now before a Department of Labor tribunal that remains unresolved.
Testimony revealed that safety reports were often blocked by management, and that pilots were instructed to sign off on flight plans without proper verification. The National Transportation Safety Board is conducting an investigation, and 21 Air has issued a statement pledging full cooperation. Amazon expressed condolences and said it will defer to the NTSB and the carrier regarding pre-existing safety allegations.
Why it matters
The crash highlights possible systemic safety failures at a major cargo carrier linked to a global retailer.
How this story developed
- Sep 6 Cargo Boeing 767 linked to Amazon overruns Miami runway, massive smoke plume observed
- Sep 7 Reporters now note five deaths and five injuries associated with the incident.
- Sep 7 Three of the injured remain in critical condition and the pilot and co‑pilot were reported trapped in the cockpit.
- Sep 8 A civilian relative recovered the body of 80-year-old pilot Mario Lamar following the crash of his private plane near North Andros Island.
- Sep 8 NTSB retrieved the flight data and cockpit voice recorders and sent them to its headquarters.
- Sep 8 A family member recovered the pilot’s body after locating the downed aircraft.
In this story
Related stories
7 in this thread