Flights between Miami to O'Hare impacted by deadly cargo plane crash

Flights between O'Hare and Miami were impacted on Sunday after a cargo plane overran the runway while landing in Miami.

The crash left five people dead and five others hurt, three of whom were in critical condition. 

First responders were careful not to speculate, saying the National Transportation Safety Board is collecting information about the crash, and the Federal Aviation Administration will investigate — a process that takes time.

The FAA has said a plane operated by 21 Air with the Amazon Prime logo on the side overran the runway at Miami International Airport around 2 p.m. Chicago time, sending huge plumes of smoke filling the sky.

Flight radar 24 shows the plane was still moving at about 130 miles per hour as it left the runway, crossing a street and colliding with vehicles in a parking lot. The fire chief said there were people trapped in cars and in the aircraft.

"We had a very complex fire engine, compartments that were on fire, including a search and rescue of the pilot and copilot that were trapped in this aircraft," said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah.

The plane, a 32-year-old Boeing 767, was arriving from San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it left the runway, which is 9,000 feet long, but does not have the technology installed to help prevent an aircraft from overrunning.

"Most runways don't have it and they don't need it because they do have the thousand-foot stopway that's required by regulations," said former chair of the NTSB Robert Sumwalt. "The investigation will be trying to understand exactly what factors led to this airplane going off the end of the runway." 

CEO of 21 Air, Keith Winters, said in a statement, "We will not speculate regarding the cause."

Several flights between Miami and O'Hare were delayed or cancelled after the crash.

Officials say a ground delay will continue into Monday. More is expected to be learned from the NTSB on Labor Day.