A UPS cargo jet and a Copa Airlines passenger plane collided on a taxiway at Miami International Airport on Saturday night, in what local reports describe as a minor ground collision with no serious injuries.
The Miami airport collision happened at about 9:15 p.m. ET on Nov. 14, when an arriving aircraft and a departing aircraft made contact at the intersection of two taxiways, according to a statement from airport communications director Greg Chin to CBS News Miami.
The story in 7 points
- A UPS cargo jet and a Copa Airlines passenger jet made contact at Miami International Airport at about 9:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 14.
- The contact happened at the intersection of two taxiways, according to an airport spokesperson.
- The Copa plane was a Boeing 737-800 carrying 166 passengers and six crew members, arriving from Panama City, Panama.
- CBS News Miami reports the UPS aircraft was a Boeing 767 operating UPS Flight 358, scheduled to fly to Bogota, Colombia.
- Copa said preliminary information indicates the cargo plane touched the left wingtip of its aircraft while both were taxiing.
- NBC 6 reports two Copa passengers were evaluated for apparent minor injuries and were not taken to a hospital; CBS News Miami cited no reported injuries.
- Airport officials said flights were directed to other taxiways, and no investigation findings have been announced.
According to CBS News Miami, citing Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the aircraft involved were a UPS Boeing 767 and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737. The UPS plane was operating Flight 358, a cargo service scheduled to head from Miami to Bogota, Colombia. Copa Flight 427 had arrived from Panama City at around 9 p.m. and was taxiing toward the terminal when the contact occurred.
NBC 6 South Florida reported that the Copa aircraft was a Boeing 737-800 carrying 166 passengers and six crew members. Copa said preliminary information indicates the cargo plane came into contact with the left wingtip of its aircraft while both planes were taxiing. According to NBC 6, two passengers were evaluated by airport paramedics for apparent minor injuries and were not taken to a hospital, while Copa said the other passengers and crew were in good condition. CBS News Miami, in its report, cited no reported injuries.
UPS said in a statement carried by NBC 6: “Our crew is safe, and we are committed to working with authorities to determine what happened.” The airport said flights were being directed to other taxiways, so there was no impact to operations at the time of the statement.
Why it matters
Ground collisions between aircraft are rare, and even low-speed contact on a taxiway can damage wings, delay flights and prompt safety reviews. The incident also comes as Miami International Airport was still dealing with delays and cancellations after a nationwide FAA ground stop earlier in the week, according to CBS News Miami.
What happens next: neither outlet reported an FAA or NTSB statement on the incident at the time of publication. Investigators typically examine taxi clearances, aircraft positions and crew communications in such cases, and further details are expected as authorities and the airlines review what happened.
Key questions
What happened at Miami International Airport on Saturday night?
A UPS cargo jet and a Copa Airlines passenger jet made contact at the intersection of two taxiways at Miami International Airport at about 9:15 p.m. ET on Nov. 14, according to airport officials and local news reports. Both aircraft were taxiing when the contact occurred.
Was anyone hurt in the Miami airport plane collision?
NBC 6 reported that two Copa Airlines passengers were evaluated by airport paramedics for apparent minor injuries and were not taken to a hospital. CBS News Miami reported no injuries. UPS said its crew is safe, and Copa said other passengers and crew were in good condition.
Which airlines and planes were involved in the collision?
The collision involved Copa Airlines Flight 427, a Boeing 737-800 arriving from Panama City with 166 passengers and six crew, and a UPS cargo plane. CBS News Miami identified the UPS aircraft as a Boeing 767 operating Flight 358 to Bogota, Colombia.
Sources: CBS News Miami, NBC 6 South Florida