Miami Airport Collision Involves UPS and Copa Jets
A Miami airport collision involving a UPS cargo plane and a Copa Airlines passenger jet prompted an emergency response late on Saturday. No one was hurt, and airport operations continued, officials said.
The aircraft were a UPS Boeing 767 and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737, according to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue. The collision took place around 9:15pm local time on Saturday, or 0215 GMT on Sunday, when an arriving aircraft and a departing plane came into contact at the intersection of two taxiways.
“There are no reported injuries,” Greg Chin, communications director at Miami International Airport, told CBS News Miami in a statement. He said aircraft were being redirected to other taxiways and that the incident had not affected airport operations.
What happened in the Miami airport collision
UPS Flight 358 was scheduled to depart Miami for Bogota, Colombia, while Copa Airlines Flight 427 was arriving from Panama City, Panama, where the airline is based. The two aircraft met at a taxiway intersection as one arrived and the other prepared to leave.
CBS News reported the collision, citing airport officials. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed the aircraft types involved. The Express Tribune reported the incident on Sunday. No details have yet been released about the damage to either aircraft, and it is not yet known how long repairs will take.
Taxiway collisions are rare at major airports, but they carry serious risk. Aircraft move slowly on the ground, yet a 767 weighs far more than a 737, and even a low-speed impact can damage wings, engines and fuselages. Investigators will now study ground movements, air traffic instructions and visibility at the time.
Collision during a troubled weekend for US aviation
The Miami collision came as US airports were still recovering from an unusual nationwide ground stop ordered on Friday by the Federal Aviation Administration. The stop followed an outage of communications systems, and thousands of flights were cancelled or delayed across the country.
Feature Pakistan reported the nationwide ground stop when it was imposed, and covered the resumption of flights as the system came back online. Between 4,000 and 5,000 of the 41,000 scheduled flights were expected to be cancelled in the aftermath.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that restoring normal flight operations would take time as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews across the country. Federal Aviation Administration chief Bryan Bedford said on Saturday that the US aviation schedule was expected to return to normal by the end of Sunday.
The Miami incident shows how a strained system can add risk. Crews and controllers were already working through backlogs when the two aircraft met at the taxiway intersection.
Why the aircraft types matter
The UPS aircraft was a Boeing 767, the same type as a 767 that was recently sold from Sialkot airport. The 767 is a wide-body jet used widely for cargo, while the Copa 737 is a narrow-body jet used for short and medium flights.
Aviation safety in Pakistan has also been in the news this month, after a researcher claimed to have spotted the possible wreckage of PIA Flight PK-404 in satellite images. That claim remains unverified, and the wreckage of the Fokker F27, missing since 1989, has never been found.
What happens next
The US National Transportation Safety Board usually opens an investigation into ground collisions involving commercial aircraft. Investigators will review cockpit voice recordings, ground radar and air traffic control tapes.
Both airlines will also inspect their aircraft before they return to service. Until the investigation reports, it will not be known whether the cause was a missed instruction, a navigation error or a lapse in ground control.
Frequently asked questions
Which aircraft collided at Miami airport?
A UPS Boeing 767 cargo plane and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 passenger jet.
Was anyone hurt?
No. Airport officials reported no injuries.
When did the collision happen?
Around 9:15pm local time on Saturday, or 0215 GMT on Sunday, at a taxiway intersection.
Did the collision disrupt airport operations?
No. Aircraft were redirected to other taxiways and operations continued.
Why were US flights already disrupted?
The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a nationwide ground stop on Friday after a communications outage, and thousands of flights were cancelled or delayed.
