A UPS cargo plane and a Copa Airlines passenger jet collided on a taxiway at Miami International Airport on Saturday night, according to airport officials and the Federal Aviation Administration.
The aircraft, a UPS Boeing 767 and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737, made contact around 9:15 p.m. at the intersection of two taxiways, Greg Chin, communications director at MIA, told CBS News. UPS Flight 358 was scheduled to leave Miami for Bogotá, Colombia, while Copa Airlines Flight 427 was arriving from Panama City, Panama.
According to an FAA statement, the wingtip of the Copa 737, which was taxiing to the gate, struck the nose of the UPS 767, which was taxiing for departure. Photos showed damage to the nose of one of the planes.
Air traffic controllers had told the UPS crew to give way to the Copa flight, the FAA said. In audio of the exchange, the controller can be heard telling the UPS crew, "UPS 358, you're supposed to give way to the 73 there." The UPS pilot acknowledged traveling too far before the collision, according to the recorded exchange.
Two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries by Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, but did not need to be taken to the hospital, according to Miami-Dade Aviation. UPS said its crew was safe and that it is "committed to working with authorities to determine what happened". Copa had not commented by Saturday night.
The airport said flights were being directed to other taxiways, so there was no impact to airport operations. The FAA is investigating the collision.
