What happened
On the afternoon of the accident, ValuJack Flight 592 was operating a scheduled service from Miami to Atlanta. The aircraft, a DC-9, had experienced a delay in Miami and departed the airport at approximately 13:40. The flight was initially climbing through 5,000 feet when the crew established contact with the north departure controller.
At 14:10:03, while the aircraft was climbing through 10,634 feet, the flight crew reported hearing an unusual sound. Shortly thereafter, the captain reported electrical issues and a total loss of systems. The crew quickly declared an emergency, stating that the aircraft was on fire and requesting an immediate return to Miami. During this period, the crew reported smoke in the cabin, and audio from the cockpit recorded passengers and crew shouting about the fire.
As the aircraft attempted to descend and maneuver for an emergency landing, the flight crew's communications became sporadic. After 14:12:45, the crew stopped responding to instructions from air traffic control. The flight data recorder ceased operation at 14:12:48 while the aircraft was at 7,200 feet. The final impact occurred at 14:13:42 in the Everglades, with the wreckage showing the aircraft struck the ground in a nose-down, right-wing-down attitude.
Findings
The forward cargo compartment contained 4,109 pounds of cargo, which included various items such as wheels, tires, and five boxes labeled as empty oxygen canisters. An in-flight fire originated within the aircraft during the climb phase.