The widow of a man killed in Sunday’s fiery Amazon jet crash in Miami has filed a wrongful death lawsuit accusing the retail giant and its aviation partners of negligence and a string of dangerous landing mistakes.
Yaraisi Santiso Morejon alleged the disaster was caused by pilot error, inadequate personnel training and the use of an unairworthy aircraft, according to the complaint reported by Courthouse News.
Her husband, Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo, was among five people killed when the Boeing 767 overran a runway at Miami International Airport and slammed into two vehicles before erupting in flames.
Morejon also alleged that the flight was conducted under hazardous conditions, citing an active thunderstorm in the area, the outlet reported.
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“This disaster was not an unavoidable accident,” Morejon said.
The complaint named the pilots as Captain Joseph Carroll, 55, and co-pilot Jaime Felipe Silva Molina, 37, accusing them of touching down far past the safe zone on the runway.
The plane reportedly landed more than 40 knots, or 46 mph, faster than the recommended speed, touched down 4,000 feet past the target zone and failed to perform a proper nose-flare maneuver, in which the pilot gently raised the aircraft’s nose just before touchdown to slow its rate of descent.
When the approach became unstable, the pilots failed to execute a mandatory go-around or declare an emergency, the suit alleged.
The jet ultimately plowed through the perimeter fencing and overran the runway by about 1,300 feet.
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The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) on Tuesday said investigators are still working to determine what happened during the crash and have not released an official cause.
Flight operator 21 Air was also accused of inadequately training its pilots, providing poor crew supervision and imposing demanding flight schedules.
Prior safety complaints from former employees were also ignored or suppressed, according to the outlet.
Crews were reportedly pushed to fly without proper rest, pilots with limited English skills were allowed to fly and aircraft remained in service despite ongoing problems, the suit alleged.
In a statement to Fox Business, Amazon said every jet operated on its behalf was flown by an FAA-certified air carrier under FAA-approved operations and maintenance programs.
“The FAA actively oversees each carrier’s programs and any changes are individually reviewed and approved by the FAA,” the company said. “These programs require: licensed individuals to perform regulated activities, recurrent training of licensed personnel, and routine aircraft inspections and maintenance at regular intervals.”
After the incident, 21 Air issued a statement extending its condolences to those impacted.
“Our deepest condolences are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives. Our immediate priorities are supporting those affected, assisting the authorities, and ensuring that accurate information is communicated as it becomes available,” the operator said.
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Meanwhile, the aircraft owner, Atlas Air, was accused of supplying an aging 32-year-old plane and failing to ensure that critical stopping systems were fully operational and safe.
Authorities on Tuesday revealed that key braking systems, including speed brakes and thrust reversers, were not deployed during landing, citing available recorded data recovered from the crash. The NTSB said investigators will continue analyzing the circumstances of the incident.
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| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 252.40 | -4.57 | -1.78% |
Amazon was also named in the suit for allegedly failing to adequately oversee the operations.
In a statement, the retail giant expressed its sympathies to those affected by the crash and said it was working with investigators and its operators on the matter.
Amazon added that using independent air carriers was “standard practice in commercial aviation.”
“Major U.S. (and foreign) passenger airlines also contract with independent carriers to operate flights under their brand but as separately certificated and regulated air carriers,” Amazon said.
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