MIAMI (Azat TV) – Two aircraft collided on a taxiway at Miami International Airport on Saturday night, November 14, 2026, resulting in minor injuries and adding to mounting regional travel delays just a day after a rare nationwide Federal Aviation Administration ground stop, according to official reports.
The wingtip of a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 struck the nose of a UPS Boeing 767 during taxiing operations around 9:15 p.m., the Federal Aviation Administration said. Greg Chin, communications director for the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, confirmed that two people sustained minor injuries and were treated at the scene by fire and rescue teams as KTEN reported.
Air Traffic Control Instructions and Pilot Communication
Air traffic controllers had explicitly instructed the UPS flight crew to give way to the Copa Airlines aircraft before the collision occurred at the intersection of two taxiways, according to initial New York Times reporting. Audio recordings from air traffic control captured the immediate aftermath of the impact. The pilot of the Copa flight radioed that another aircraft had struck them, while the UPS pilot acknowledged over the frequency that their aircraft had gone too far before contact happened.
Passengers aboard the incoming flight described a sudden jolt as the collision occurred. Copa passenger Cesar Ferreira told reporters that the plane jerked abruptly sideways while taxiing at a normal speed following its arrival. Inside the cabin, passengers heard sudden chatter followed by a collective scream before the impact took place. The flight crew acted quickly to keep passengers seated while the captain subsequently announced that there was no imminent danger, arranging for a tug to bring the aircraft back to the terminal.
The Copa flight had just landed in Miami after arriving from Panama City, Panama, carrying 166 passengers and six crew members. The UPS Boeing 767 was taxiing in preparation for a cargo departure bound for Bogotá, Colombia. Photographs from the scene revealed significant structural damage to the nose panels of the UPS cargo aircraft, which showed a crumpled structure with a gaping hole, while the Copa flight sustained damage to its left wingtip.
Compounding National Travel Delays
The tarmac collision unfolded while airports across the United States were struggling to recover from a nationwide ground stop on Friday, November 13, 2026. That earlier federal halt, triggered by an upgrade failure in air traffic control telecommunications equipment, stranded thousands of passengers and forced airlines into a massive logistical effort to reposition grounded aircraft and flight crews. Passengers nationwide spent Friday night sleeping on airport terminal floors as carriers scrambled to rebook itineraries.
The Saturday night accident at Miami added another layer of operational friction to an already strained aviation network. Thousands of flights had already faced cancellations or extensive delays on Saturday as airlines worked to clear backlogs. Despite the weekend collision at the intersection of the Miami taxiways, airport officials routed active flights to alternative taxiways, preventing complete operational paralysis. Greg Chin noted that the incident did not shut down overall airport operations, allowing the facility to process incoming and outgoing traffic while investigators began examining the exact sequence of movements.
Context of Prior Incidents at Miami International
The latest tarmac mishap arrived at a sensitive time for the airport, coming just over two months after an Amazon cargo jet overran a runway at the same facility. That prior accident struck two vehicles and resulted in five fatalities, following a federal finding that an air traffic controller had failed to warn pilots about windy conditions when granting permission to land. While the Saturday night taxiway incident involved only minor injuries and structural damage rather than a catastrophic runway overrun, it heightened scrutiny surrounding ground safety and communication protocols at the busy transportation hub.
Ongoing Federal Investigation
The Federal Aviation Administration has launched a formal investigation to determine the precise contributing factors behind the taxiway incursion. Representatives for both carriers stated their full cooperation with federal authorities. UPS confirmed that its flight crew was safe and that the company is committed to working alongside regulators to clarify the incident. Copa Airlines also expressed regret over any passenger disruption, emphasizing that safety remains its primary operational priority as authorities review the evidence, audio logs, and radar data.