The five people killed and five injured when an Amazon cargo plane crashed on landing at Miami International Airport were in two vehicles on the ground, investigators said.
The Boeing 767-300, operated by 21 Air, overshot the runway on Sunday and hit an airline cleaning van holding seven people before breaking the perimeter fence and striking a Toyota SUV with three inside.
Jennifer Homendy, chairwoman of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), called the crash scene “utter devastation” and said it was too early to identify a cause.
Investigators have recovered the flight recorders and will look at flight systems, crew experience and weather as potential factors, say aviation experts.
The plane struck navigational aids and equipment after overrunning the runway, before hitting a white Ford van owned by a contract cleaning company.
It then travelled through a perimeter fence and collided with a Toyota Corolla, coming to rest about 1,300ft (394m) beyond the runway.
It was not clear from the NTSB’s updates how many people died in each vehicle on the ground, or the condition of the two crew on board the plane.
Debris from the aircraft, mangled vehicles and airport fencing was left strewn across the area.
“It’s hard to see, and I’m sure very difficult for the first responders as well,” said Homendy during the press conference.
She said recovering victims’ bodies was the current priority, adding: “The investigation and access to the aircraft, as well as evidence, can wait.”
The flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been recovered and are being sent to NTSB headquarters for evaluation.
Homendy said investigators could not yet say anything substantive about the cause of the crash as they were still collecting evidence at the scene.
Investigators will examine the flight history, crew experience and training, radar data, and aircraft performance. Separate teams will look at the plane’s systems and engines, while a meteorologist will assess the weather conditions at the time of landing.
The NTSB will also examine whether the runway should have had an engineered materials arresting system (EMAS), which is designed to slow and stop aircraft that overrun a runway. Homendy said this would be a “key” part of the investigation.
ReutersEarlier analysis by BBC Verify found there was an active thunderstorm near the airport shortly before the crash, with winds gusting up to 26 knots (48km/h).
The NTSB has appealed for members of the public to share photographs or videos that could aid the investigation.
Homendy said the agency would make safety recommendations at the end of its investigation. “That’s why we’re here – to prevent the next tragedy,” she said.
“Our recommendations must be implemented, or we’ll be here again.”
Two of the four runways at the airport remained closed following the crash. Passengers have been warned to expect further disruption after Sunday’s cancellations affected the arrival of aircraft and flight crews.
The crash happened during the Labor Day holiday weekend, one of the busiest travel periods in the US.
Amazon said it was “heartbroken” by the loss of life and that it was working closely with authorities.
The company operating the aircraft, 21 Air, expressed its condolences and said it was co-operating with the investigation.
