UPS Boeing 767 and Copa Airlines 737 collide while taxiing at Miami International Airport
A UPS cargo plane and a Copa Airlines passenger jet made contact on a taxiway at Miami International Airport on Saturday, prompting a brief emergency response and an investigation by authorities.
Two aircraft collided on a taxiway at Miami International Airport on Saturday, November 14. The incident involved a UPS Boeing 767 and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 that had just landed from Panama City. Air traffic control recordings captured the Copa pilot saying, "Somebody hit us," and later confirming that the UPS plane had clipped the wing of the Copa aircraft.
The controller instructed UPS flight 358 to give way to the Copa flight and later asked whether the UPS aircraft had struck the other plane. The UPS crew acknowledged the contact and was told to hold position. Both crews were reported safe, and fire trucks responded to the scene.
A UPS spokesperson said the company was aware of the ground incident, that its crew was safe, and that it would cooperate with investigators. The airline added that safety of employees and the public is its highest priority.
Miami International Airport has not provided additional comment. The collision occurred as airlines were still dealing with widespread delays and cancellations following a lengthy nationwide ground stop earlier in the week.
Federal Aviation Administration administrator Bryan Bedford said airlines would continue to experience delays but that the worst of the disruptions was over. Transport Secretary Sean Duffy said a contractor’s work replacing aging copper wiring with fiber had caused an overload in the air-traffic-control system, leading to intermittent communications and radar outages. Officials are investigating whether the issue stemmed from contractor error or a faulty router.