At least five people were killed and five others injured after an Amazon cargo plane overran a runway at Miami International Airport on Sunday and crashed into vehicles before catching fire, authorities said.
The plane, which had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, went off the runway at around 2pm and crossed a road used by warehouse workers and businesses surrounding the airport.
Miami-Dade County officials said three of the injured were in critical condition, while two others suffered less serious injuries. It was not immediately known whether the pilots survived or whether all those killed were in vehicles when the aircraft struck.
Miami-Dade Rescue Fire Chief Ray Jadallah said the crash trapped the pilot and copilot inside the cockpit and also trapped people in vehicles. Firefighters had to rescue one person who was pinned beneath a vehicle.
The crash sent thick black smoke into the sky and disrupted operations at the busy airport for much of the afternoon. Around 200 emergency personnel responded to the scene, where they found the aircraft engulfed in flames and smoke from a fire in the engine area.
Firefighters used specialised airport equipment to put out the blaze, but a fuel leak from the aircraft remained a concern several hours later.
Images showed the Prime Air aircraft resting on its belly beside a roadway near two semitrucks. The plane appeared largely intact despite the fire.
The cause of the crash was not immediately known, and authorities had yet to determine whether weather conditions contributed to the accident. The National Weather Service reported thunderstorms and wind gusts of up to 30 mph (48 kph) in the area at the time.
The flight was operated by North Carolina-based cargo carrier 21 Air. The 32-year-old Boeing 767 was originally built as a passenger aircraft and flew for several airlines before being converted into a freighter in 2015, according to Flightradar24.
The accident caused widespread flight disruptions, with more than 160 flights cancelled and nearly 325 delayed by late Sunday, according to FlightAware. Some flights were diverted to Orlando International Airport, more than 200 miles (320 kilometres) north of Miami.
The National Transportation Safety Board said it was sending an investigative team led by Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy to Miami.
Amazon said it would cooperate with the investigation and expressed condolences to the victims' families.
Aviation safety experts said investigators would likely examine whether the aircraft touched down within the designated landing zone and why the crew did not abort the landing if it landed too far down the runway.
Retired United Airlines pilot and aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said a Boeing 767 typically has a pilot and copilot on domestic flights, while additional pilots are required for longer international flights.
Former Transportation Department inspector general Mary Schiavo said video of the landing appeared to show the aircraft remaining airborne over the runway for an extended period before touching down.
She also noted that Miami International Airport does not have an engineered arresting system designed to stop aircraft that overrun runways. The Federal Aviation Administration says such systems have been installed at more than 120 US airports and have helped save hundreds of lives.