Collision between Copa 737 and UPS 767 on Miami taxiway injures two
A Copa Airlines Boeing 737 and a United Parcel Service Boeing 767 collided while taxiing at Miami International Airport, leaving two people with minor injuries.
Two aircraft collided on a taxiway at Miami International Airport Saturday night, a day after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) imposed a nationwide ground stop because of communication problems at several air-traffic control centers. The FAA said a Copa Airlines Boeing 737’s wingtip struck the nose of a United Parcel Service Boeing 767 while the planes were taxiing.
The incident, reported at about 21:00 local time, resulted in minor injuries to two individuals who received medical treatment. The FAA is investigating the event. According to the agency, air-traffic controllers instructed the UPS crew to yield to the Copa flight before the collision.
"We were taxiing after landing at a normal speed when, all of a sudden, I heard the chatter around me getting louder – followed by a collective scream and then the impact of another aircraft hitting ours," said Copa passenger Cesar Ferreira to CNN.
Copa Airlines expressed regret over the disruption and said passenger safety remains its top priority while it cooperates with investigators. UPS confirmed its crew was unharmed and pledged cooperation with authorities. Airport officials redirected flights to alternate taxiways, reporting no further impact on operations.
The collision followed a four-hour FAA ground stop on Friday that the administration attributed to routine maintenance required to replace copper wiring with fiber-optic cables. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy linked the need for the work to insufficient congressional funding, a claim contested by critics who note that allocated funds have not been fully spent.