A grieving widow has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amazon and its aviation partners following a catastrophic cargo jet crash in Miami that claimed five lives. Yaraisi Santiso Morejon, whose husband Yoel Rodriguez Naranjo perished in the disaster, alleges that the tragedy was not an unavoidable accident but rather the result of gross negligence, pilot error, and systemic safety failures. The lawsuit claims that the Boeing 767 overran the runway at Miami International Airport during a severe thunderstorm, eventually smashing into two vehicles before bursting into flames.
According to the legal complaint, the flight crew committed several critical errors during their final approach. The suit alleges that Captain Joseph Carroll and co-pilot Jaime Felipe Silva Molina touched down roughly 4,000 feet past the safe target zone while traveling nearly 50 miles per hour faster than recommended speeds. Furthermore, the plaintiffs claim the pilots failed to perform a necessary nose flare maneuver to slow the descent and neglected to initiate a mandatory go-around once it became clear that the approach was unstable. Data later highlighted by the National Transportation Safety Board indicated that essential braking systems and thrust reversers were never deployed during the landing attempt.
The litigation extends beyond those in the cockpit, targeting flight operator 21 Air and aircraft owner Atlas Air. Morejon accuses 21 Air of maintaining a culture of negligence characterized by inadequate training, grueling schedules that left crews exhausted, and a tendency to ignore internal safety warnings from former employees. Meanwhile, Atlas Air is accused of providing an outdated 32 year old aircraft with malfunctioning stopping systems. Together, these factors allegedly created a perfect storm of failure that led to the jet plowing through airport perimeter fencing after overrunning the runway by approximately 1,300 feet.
In response to the allegations, Amazon defended its business model, noting that contracting with independent FAA certified air carriers is standard practice across the global aviation industry. The company emphasized that all operators must adhere to strict federal oversight regarding maintenance and personnel licensing. While both Amazon and 21 Air have issued statements expressing deep condolences to the victims’ families, they maintain that they are cooperating fully with investigators as the NTSB continues its analysis to determine the definitive cause of the crash.