A collision between two commercial aircraft occurred on a taxiway at Miami International Airport on Saturday night. The incident took place just one day after the Federal Aviation Administration implemented a nationwide ground stop that affected air traffic across the United States.
According to a statement from the FAA, the wingtip of a Boeing 737 operated by Copa Airlines made contact with the nose of a Boeing 767 belonging to United Parcel Service. The FAA noted that both planes were taxiing at the time of the impact. Reports indicate that two individuals sustained minor injuries in the collision and have since received medical attention.
The FAA stated that the incident was reported at approximately 9:00 p.m. local time. The agency is currently investigating the event. Authorities said that air traffic controllers had instructed the UPS crew to yield the right of way to the Copa flight prior to the collision. At the time of the incident, the Copa flight was taxiing toward a gate, while the UPS aircraft was taxiing for a scheduled departure to Bogota, Colombia.
Cesar Ferreira, a passenger on the Copa Airlines flight, described the moments leading up to the crash in an interview with CNN. He recalled that the aircraft was taxiing at a normal speed after landing when the atmosphere in the cabin suddenly changed. Ferreira said he heard the chatter around him grow louder, followed by a collective scream and the sound of another aircraft striking theirs. He added that the plane jerked abruptly sideways, causing some passengers to panic before the crew quickly instructed everyone to remain seated.
Copa Airlines released a statement expressing regret for the disruption the incident would cause its passengers. The airline emphasized that the safety of its passengers and crew remained its top priority and pledged to cooperate fully with authorities as they conduct their investigation.
UPS also issued a statement acknowledging the incident. The company confirmed that it was aware of the event involving one of its aircraft on the ground in Miami. UPS stated that its crew was safe and that it was committed to working with officials to determine the cause of the collision. The carrier reiterated that the safety of its employees and the public was its highest priority.
Miami International Airport officials said that operations were not significantly affected by the collision. Flight paths were adjusted to direct other aircraft to alternate taxiways, allowing the airport to continue functioning during the incident.
The collision occurred during a weekend already marked by significant travel disruptions. Thousands of flights faced delays and cancellations following a four-hour ground stop on Friday. The Trump administration attributed the previous day's halt to routine maintenance that was executed incorrectly. The work aimed to switch telecommunication lines from older copper wire infrastructure to newer fiber optic cables.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, speaking on both Saturday and Sunday, placed the blame for the need for such maintenance on a lack of funding from Congress. However, critics of the administration have countered that the White House has not fully utilized the funds already allocated to upgrade the infrastructure supporting the US air travel system.
