An Amazon Air cargo jet crashed in what local police called 'total devastation' — all 3 onboard are confirmed dead
- Atlas Air Flight 3591 crashed at 12:45 p.m. on Saturday in Texas, leaving three people dead.
- The cargo flight was contracted by Amazon Air.
- Pilots from Atlas Air, who contracts to Amazon among others, have told Business Insider that fatigue and lack of experience is common in the company.
Three people are dead after an Amazon Air cargo flight, operated by Atlas Air, crashed into a bay on Saturday in Texas. On Sunday, after an investigation, Atlas Air confirmed all three people who were on board are dead.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with all those who have been affected," Bill Flynn, Atlas Air Chief Executive Officer, said in a statement. "This is a sad time for all of us.
"Our team continues to work closely with the NTSB, the FAA and local authorities on the ground in Houston," Flynn added. "We would like to commend the efforts of all of the first responders. We sincerely appreciate their efforts and support in the investigation."
Chambers County Sheriff Brian Hawthorne described the scene as "total devastation," he told the Associated Press.
Sheets, clothing, and cardboard were found around the crash, Hawthorne told local news affiliate ABC-13. The debris extended for three-quarters of a mile.
Atlas Air Flight 3591 was flying from Houston to Miami. According to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration, the plane lost signal about 30 miles southeast of Houston George Bush International Airport. It fell from 6,525 feet to 3,025 feet in 30 seconds. The FAA then issued an alert notice.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the flight crew, their families and friends along with the entire team at Atlas Air during this terrible tragedy," Dave Clark, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Operations at Amazon, said in a statement. "We appreciate the first responders who worked urgently to provide support."
A history of labor issues at Atlas Air
Pilots from the airlines that Amazon Air contracts with have told Business Insider that their pay and benefits are far below industry standards. Pilots said that means those who work with Amazon Air tend to be less experienced.
"It’s a ticking time bomb," Captain Robert Kirchner, Atlas pilot and executive council chairman of Teamsters Local 1224, told Business Insider weeks before the crash.
Kirchner and other Atlas Air pilots said the company, which contracts to Amazon, DHL, and other carriers, tends to overwork their pilots.
"They don't recognize pilot fatigue," Kirchner previously told Business Insider. "They think it's people goofing off. We have to constantly show them some of these schedules. Ninety-nine percent of the time, we're able to prove to them that this is a fatiguing schedule."
Are you a pilot who works at ABX, Atlas Air, or another cargo airline that contracts to Amazon? Contact rpremack@businesssinsider.com.