Two aircraft were involved in a taxi‑way collision at Miami International Airport Saturday evening, officials said. A UPS Boeing 767 cargo plane and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 passenger jet made contact at approximately 9:15 p.m. local time.
What happened
Air‑traffic‑control recordings captured the Copa pilot reporting that his aircraft had been struck. The UPS crew then acknowledged that they had taxied too far, noting that the Copa jet clipped the wing of the cargo plane. The impact involved the nose of one aircraft striking the wingtip of the other, according to local reporter Andy Slater.
Flights involved
Copa Flight 427 had just landed from Panama City, the airline’s headquarters, when the collision occurred. UPS Flight 358 was scheduled to depart Miami for Bogotá, Colombia. Both airlines reported no injuries among crew members, and fire trucks were dispatched to the scene as a precaution.
Context of recent disruptions
The incident comes amid ongoing delays and cancellations across the nation following a Friday‑night nationwide ground stop ordered by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA halted all U.S. air traffic for more than four hours, the longest stoppage in 25 years, to address safety concerns. The pause ended around 8:15 p.m. ET Friday, allowing some domestic flights to resume.
According to FlightAware, of the 41,000 flights scheduled for Saturday, more than 6,400 had been canceled by nightfall. An additional 800 flights slated for Sunday were also canceled.
Official response
Airport officials assured passengers that U.S. airspace remains safe and operational. They emphasized that the collision was an isolated taxi‑way incident and not indicative of broader safety issues.
Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the taxi‑way error, reviewing communications between the pilots and air‑traffic control, as well as ground‑crew procedures.
Impact on travelers
Passengers on the affected Copa flight were re‑booked on alternate services, and UPS confirmed that the cargo plane will undergo inspection before returning to service. Travelers are advised to monitor airline updates for any further changes to flight schedules.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
