Families of workers killed when an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport are considering legal action as federal investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the deadly crash.
The developing Amazon plane crash lawsuit comes after Yaraisi Santiso Morejon, whose 53-year-old husband Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo was killed in the September 6 crash, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Amazon, 21 Air and the aircraft’s pilots.
Attorneys representing other victims’ families say they are also investigating potential claims.
The litigation is unfolding while the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) continues its investigation into Amazon Air Flight 7598, a Boeing 767-33A cargo aircraft operated by 21 Air.
What Happened in the Amazon Plane Crash?
Flight 7598 departed San Juan, Puerto Rico, and was approaching Miami International Airport on September 6 when it overran Runway 30.
The aircraft crossed beyond the runway, struck airport equipment and vehicles, and eventually came to rest after causing a devastating collision.
Five people on the ground were killed. Five others were injured, including the aircraft’s two pilots, according to authorities.
The victims included workers inside a cleaning-service van near the airport.
The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office subsequently identified those killed in the crash, while investigators worked to document the accident scene and preserve evidence.
Amazon Crash Timeline
- September 6: Amazon Air Flight 7598 crashes after overrunning Runway 30 at Miami International Airport.
- September 7: NTSB investigators recover the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder.
- September 8: Authorities identify the five people killed in the crash.
- September 9: The NTSB releases preliminary information from the cockpit and flight-data recorders.
- September 9: Morejon files a wrongful-death lawsuit.
- September 10: Attorneys for additional victims’ families confirm they are evaluating possible legal claims.
Why Are Victimsβ Families Considering Lawsuits?
The families’ attorneys are examining whether responsibility could extend beyond the individual pilots.
Mark Lopez Trigo, an attorney representing the sons of victim Julio C. Pineda, told CBS News Miami that potential defendants could include parties connected with the aircraft, its ownership or leasing, the cargo carrier and the pilots.
The precise scope of any future litigation will depend in part on evidence uncovered during the investigation.
Another victim’s family, represented by attorney Jorge P. Gutierrez, is also considering legal options.
That does not mean every potentially identified party will ultimately be found liable.
Civil liability will depend on the evidence, applicable aviation and tort law, contractual relationships and the findings of the investigation.
What Does the First NTSB Evidence Show?
The NTSB has emphasized that its findings are preliminary and subject to change.
According to the agency’s September 9 investigative update, the cockpit voice recorder contained more than two hours of audio, while the flight data recorder contained approximately 54 hours of information and recorded more than 400 parameters.
The preliminary data provides important details about the final moments of the flight.
One pilot reportedly warned that the aircraft was traveling too fast during the approach.
The cockpit recording also captured multiple automated warnings, including alerts associated with sink rate and terrain.
The aircraft subsequently touched down, and a pilot called for a go-around approximately 15 seconds before the end of the cockpit recording.
The flight-data recorder indicates that the aircraft’s nose and right main landing gear touched down at approximately 158 knots.
Brakes were applied, then released as the throttles increased to a setting consistent with go-around thrust. The throttles were subsequently reduced to idle and the brakes were reapplied.
The NTSB also reported that the recorded data showed no indication that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed before the recording ended.
Investigators have cautioned that this data does not, by itself, establish why those systems were not deployed or whether a mechanical problem contributed.
Amazon and 21 Air Could Face Increased Scrutiny
The crash has placed renewed attention on the relationship between Amazon’s cargo operation and 21 Air, the carrier operating the aircraft.
Separately, CBS News has reported that former 21 Air employees had previously raised safety concerns about the company.
Those allegations are separate from the Miami crash and have not established that prior complaints caused or contributed to the September 6 accident.
Amazon and 21 Air have said they are cooperating with authorities and expressed condolences to the victims and their families.
The FAA has also confirmed that it will investigate the runway-overrun accident.
Also See: Amazon Plane Crash in Miami: Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed After 5 Airport Workers Killed
Could More Wrongful-Death Lawsuits Be Filed?
Potentially, yes.
Attorneys representing additional families are already investigating their clients’ claims.
But the final legal theories may not become clear until investigators establish what happened during the approach, landing and attempted go-around.
Possible areas of litigation could include allegations involving pilot decision-making, training, aircraft maintenance, operational procedures, carrier oversight or other factors.
At this stage, these remain areas of investigation and potential legal claims, not established findings of liability.
The NTSB investigation is expected to provide evidence that could become important in future civil litigation, including cockpit recordings, flight-data information, physical evidence, weather information, aircraft records and witness accounts.
What Happens Next?
The NTSB has said investigators will continue documenting the crash site and analyzing the aircraft’s recorded data.
Investigators also planned interviews with the surviving pilots to help explain actions that may not have been captured verbally on the cockpit recording.
A preliminary investigative report is expected in the coming weeks, although determining the accident’s probable cause will take considerably longer.
For the victims’ families, the legal process is developing alongside that investigation.
The first wrongful-death lawsuit could be followed by additional claims as attorneys obtain records and determine which parties may have legal responsibility.
Amazon Plane Crash Lawsuit: What We Know
| Question | Current information |
|---|---|
| When did the crash happen? | September 6, 2026 |
| Where? | Miami International Airport |
| Flight | Amazon Air Flight 7598 |
| Aircraft | Boeing 767-33A cargo aircraft |
| Operator | 21 Air |
| Fatalities | Five people on the ground |
| Wrongful-death lawsuit filed? | Yes |
| Plaintiff | Yaraisi Santiso Morejon |
| Named defendants | Amazon, 21 Air and the two pilots, among others |
| Federal investigation | NTSB |
| Investigation status | Ongoing |
Bottom Line
The Amazon plane crash lawsuit in Miami is still in its early stages, and the ultimate question of legal responsibility has not been decided.
What is established is that Flight 7598 overran the runway at Miami International Airport, five people on the ground died, and the NTSB has recovered critical cockpit and flight-data recordings.
Preliminary NTSB information has raised significant questions about the aircraft’s speed, the unstable approach and the attempted go-around immediately before the crash.
As attorneys for additional victims investigate potential claims, the evidence gathered by federal investigators could become central to determining whether further lawsuits are filed and which parties could ultimately face civil liability.
