Nov. 15 — Two people were injured on Saturday night when the wingtip of a taxiing Copa Airlines Boeing 737 struck the nose section of a UPS Boeing 767 freighter at Miami International Airport, occurring just one day after a nationwide aviation shutdown stranded thousands of travelers across the United States.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that the two aircraft collided while maneuvering on the airfield. Miami International Airport Communications Director Greg Chin told CNN that the incident occurred at approximately 9:15 PM local time.
Cesar Ferreira, a passenger aboard the Copa Airlines flight, recounted to CNN that the jet had landed safely and was taxiing at normal speed when sudden commotion and passenger screams erupted, followed by a violent jolt as the aircraft collided with the cargo plane. The impact caused the passenger jet to tilt sharply to one side, sparking brief panic inside the cabin before flight attendants quickly restored calm and instructed passengers to remain seated.
Preliminary FAA findings indicate that air traffic controllers had explicitly instructed the UPS flight crew to yield the right of way to the Copa Airlines aircraft moments before the impact. Federal aviation investigators are examining how the collision occurred despite those directives.
Leaked air traffic control audio recordings captured the immediate aftermath of the ground strike. Over the radio frequency, the Copa Airlines pilot reported, “Someone hit us.” When controllers queried the UPS flight deck regarding the incident, the UPS pilot acknowledged, “Yes, we pulled up a little too far, and then he hit us with his wing.” The Copa pilot subsequently confirmed structural damage to the left wingtip of the passenger jet.
Roughly 10 minutes after the impact, the Copa captain announced over the intercom that there was no immediate danger, according to Ferreira. In an official statement, Copa Airlines confirmed that all 166 passengers and six crew members arriving from Panama City disembarked safely once the aircraft was towed to the terminal. Expressing regret for the disruption, the carrier pledged full cooperation with investigating authorities.
Meanwhile, the UPS Boeing 767—which was preparing for departure to Bogotá, Colombia—sustained significant structural damage, with its nose cone crushed and a large gash torn into its forward exterior fuselage panel. UPS confirmed that all crew members were safe and stated that the company is working alongside federal investigators to determine the root cause of the collision.
The runway incident compounds operational strain across U.S. aviation hubs following an FAA-mandated nationwide airspace disruption a day earlier that triggered widespread cancellations and forced thousands of stranded passengers to sleep on airport terminal floors.
Source: CNN & Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Dispatches, Miami