Federal investigators have revealed new details regarding the sequence of events preceding the Amazon cargo jet’s runway overrun at Miami International Airport on Sunday, which resulted in five fatalities. According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilots appeared to lose full control of the aircraft during touchdown and seemed to consider aborting the landing before ultimately running off the runway.

The NTSB’s timeline, presented during a Tuesday briefing, indicates that the aircraft’s landing sequence was unstable from the outset. Approximately 30 seconds before the crash, the plane’s nose landing gear and right main landing gear touched down while traveling at about 182 miles per hour—faster than typical safe landing speeds for this type of aircraft. The left main landing gear did not make contact until several seconds later, and pilots delayed brake application for an additional seven seconds after the initial touchdown.

Aviation experts reviewing the preliminary data characterized the landing as unstable, noting that the nose-first touchdown was atypical and an early indicator that the pilots should have executed a go-around maneuver sooner. “You either land or you go around. You don’t land, attempt to go around, and then get back to landing again, unless there was some mechanical malfunction,” said Steven Arroyo, a retired United Airlines pilot.

The report further revealed that about 15 seconds before data ceased recording, the pilots released the brakes and increased engine thrust, actions consistent with a delayed decision to abort the landing. At that point, the aircraft was traveling at roughly 138 miles per hour. The crew then re-engaged the brakes but never deployed speed brakes or thrust reversers—both of which could have aided in decelerating the plane.

“This kind of late decision to go around creates significant risks and likely cost the pilots hundreds of feet of runway and critical seconds,” said Michael O’Donnell, a former Federal Aviation Administration official specializing in aviation safety. Investigators did not specify the aircraft’s exact position along the runway during these maneuvers but noted that the speed and duration of pilot inputs suggest substantial runway distance elapsed during this uncertain period.

The flight data recorder stopped functioning as the plane came to rest after striking two vehicles beyond the airport perimeter, resulting in five deaths. When the recording ended, the jet was still moving at about 75 miles per hour.

NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said investigators expected to release additional information, including cockpit voice recorder transcripts, and planned to interview the flight crew in the coming days. The full circumstances behind the pilots’ conflicting actions during the critical moments remain under investigation.

Legal experts highlighted the hazards of indecision during landing. “If you’re going to do a go-around, you absolutely have to commit,” said Pablo Rojas, an aviation attorney. Hesitation, he noted, can ultimately cost valuable time necessary to avoid accidents.