KTAR News reported that federal investigators are examining why an Amazon cargo jet ran off a runway at Miami International Airport and into vehicles, killing at least five people. According to the report, investigators are likely to focus on a crucial moment in the landing, specifically whether the plane touched down too late to stop safely, and video of Sunday's landing has drawn attention. No cause has been determined and no findings have been announced.
Arizona law lets only a defined group bring a wrongful death claim: the surviving spouse, a child, a parent or guardian, or the personal representative of the estate, under A.R.S. § 12-611 through A.R.S. § 12-613. Those family members recover for their own losses, including lost income and support, lost companionship, and grief. A separate survival action under A.R.S. § 14-3110 belongs to the estate and covers what the person who died lost before death, such as medical expenses and property damage. Most claims must be filed within two years under A.R.S. § 12-542, and that clock is not paused because a federal agency is still investigating; those investigations often run a year or longer, and reports frequently arrive after the filing deadline has passed. When a government entity or public employee may share responsibility, a written notice of claim is due within 180 days under A.R.S. § 12-821.01, a much shorter window that is easy to miss.
A Federal Investigation Is Not Your Civil Case
Federal investigators look at causes so that similar events can be prevented. They do not decide who owes money to a family, and their conclusions are not the standard a civil court applies. Two consequences follow for anyone who loses a family member in a crash involving a commercial operator.
First, waiting for a public report is risky. The deadline in A.R.S. § 12-542 runs from the death, not from the day findings are released. Families who decide to "wait and see" can lose the claim entirely while the file is still open.
Second, evidence that matters in a civil case is often controlled by the companies involved: maintenance records, training files, dispatch and scheduling data, driver or crew hours, and internal communications. That material is preserved when someone formally demands preservation in writing. It is not preserved by default, and routine retention policies can destroy it.
Shared Fault Does Not End an Arizona Claim
Arizona follows pure comparative fault under A.R.S. § 12-2505. A jury assigns a percentage of responsibility to each party, and a recovery is reduced by the share assigned to the person who was harmed. There is no cutoff percentage that bars recovery, which matters because defense insurers routinely argue that the person who died contributed in some way.
In incidents involving vehicles, equipment, or commercial operations, responsibility is frequently divided among more than one company: an operator, a contractor, a maintenance provider, a property owner, an equipment manufacturer. Identifying every party early affects both the available insurance and the deadlines that apply, since a claim against a public entity or public employee triggers the 180-day notice requirement in A.R.S. § 12-821.01 while a claim against a private company does not.
What a Family Should Do in the First Weeks
Open an estate. A survival action under A.R.S. § 14-3110 requires a personal representative, and probate appointment takes time. Starting early prevents a procedural delay from consuming months of the two-year period.
Send written preservation demands to every company that may be involved, covering records, data, physical evidence, and video.
Decline recorded statements to any insurer until you understand what is being asked and why. You are not required to give one to another party's carrier.
Keep records of what the loss costs the family: funeral and burial expenses, lost wages and benefits, medical bills incurred before death, and the practical support the person provided at home. These are the categories Arizona wrongful death damages are built from.
Write down the names of anyone who saw what happened and how to reach them, before memories fade and phone numbers change.
If you lost a family member and need to understand your options and deadlines, see our Arizona wrongful death practice page.