On Saturday, 23 February 2019, Boeing 767-300ER Atlas Air, operating the 5Y3591 flight for Amazon Prime Air, crashed into the Bay of Trinity Bay near Anahuac, Texas, USA.
The plane was flying to Houston-George Bush International Airport. And on board were 3 crew members. Authorities said there were no survivors.
Boeing 767-300ER Atlas Air N1217A collapsed
The Boeing 767-300ER Atlas Air (N1217A) took off from Miami around 11: 33 (local time). Cruise altitude FL400 was reached after 20 minutes.
Around 12: 07 (local time), the plane began the descent to Houston International Airport. At 12: 37, the aircraft began a rapid descent and collapsed at 60 kilometers of destination in the waters of Trinity Bay.
Witnesses told authorities that the plane had crashed ahead. As a result of the impact, the wreckage of the aircraft was spread over a large area. Investigators and searchers, who arrived on the scene, said they found boxes and all sorts of pieces from the plane.
One of the influential factors, which contributed to the production of the plane crash, could be the adverse weather in the region.
Officials from FAA, NTSB, Atlas Air, Boeing are involved in the accident investigation.
The Atlas Air / Prime Air plane crash represents:
- Atlas Air's first casualty accident
- third accident with victims of a plane over 5,7 tons in the USA
- the seventh casualty of a Boeing 767
- the first accident with victims of an 767F
Atlas Air was subcontracted by Amazon Prime Air to operate cargo flights to the United States. The aircraft involved in the accident was 26 years old and 10 months old and was in the colors of Prime Air. Propulsion was provided by 2 G enginesgeneral Electric CF6-80C2B6F. The first flight operated on 21 April 1992.