Renewed scrutiny has fallen on 21 Air, the North Carolina-based cargo carrier that operated the Boeing 767 that crashed at Miami International Airport last week, as former employees' past safety allegations against the company draw fresh attention, Simple Flying reported.

The aircraft, operating an Amazon Prime Air flight, crashed on September 6 after overrunning Runway 30, crossing airport boundaries and striking vehicles on the ground, killing five people, according to the outlet.

The National Transportation Safety Board's preliminary findings said the 767 touched down at 158 knots, or roughly 182 mph, with the crew briefly increasing engine power in a manner consistent with an attempted go-around before reducing throttle and resuming braking. Investigators found no indication that speed brakes or thrust reversers were deployed before the flight recording ended, the report said.

Former 21 Air pilots and safety personnel had alleged in documents reviewed by NPR and CBS News that company management discouraged staff from reporting safety issues and pressured crews over rest requirements, according to Simple Flying, which noted the claims remain unverified allegations rather than established findings against the airline. The report also cited concerns raised over pilot experience, communication, and maintenance.

Separately, CBS News has reported that 21 Air is controlled by Houston Astros owner Jim Crane through an LLC and that the company faced a string of complaints from senior staff who said they were dismissed after raising safety concerns.

According to aviation data firm Cirium, cited by NPR, 21 Air operates eight aircraft for Amazon, including the one involved in the Miami crash, and also flies for DHL. The crash is the third major accident involving a Boeing 767 flying for Amazon, following a 2019 Atlas Air crash near Houston that killed three people and a 2024 runway overrun in Vancouver in which no one was hurt.

Amazon has said it is aware of the allegations, adding that it believes they predate its relationship with 21 Air's current management, NPR reported.

Source: Simple Flying