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A UPS cargo plane and a Copa Airlines passenger jet collided on a taxiway at Miami International Airport on Saturday night, injuring two people and damaging both aircraft, as authorities launched an investigation into the incident.
The collision occurred around 9:15 p.m. Saturday (0215 GMT Sunday) at the intersection of two taxiways, when the wingtip of the Copa Boeing 737 struck the nose of the UPS Boeing 767, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The two injured people suffered minor injuries and received treatment at the scene from fire and rescue teams, Miami International Airport communications director Greg Chin told CNN.
The FAA said air traffic controllers had instructed the UPS crew to give way to the arriving Copa aircraft. The agency launched an investigation into the collision.
Air traffic control audio captured the immediate aftermath, with the Copa pilot reporting, "Somebody hit us."
When the controller asked the UPS crew whether the aircraft had made contact, the UPS pilot replied, "Yeah, we went too far, and then he, he clipped us with the wing."
The Copa pilot later reported that the aircraft appeared to be missing its left wingtip. A photograph of the UPS aircraft showed its nose crumpled, with a large hole in the outer panels.
The Copa aircraft had just arrived from Panama City, while UPS Flight 358 was preparing to depart for Bogota, Colombia. All 166 passengers and six crew members later disembarked after the aircraft was moved back to the terminal, Copa Airlines confirmed.
The airline expressed regret over the disruption and pledged to cooperate with authorities investigating the collision. UPS also confirmed that its crew was safe and committed to working with investigators.
The incident came as Miami International Airport and other U.S. airports continued to deal with delays and cancellations following Friday's unusual nationwide FAA ground stop.
The disruption left passengers stranded across the country, with some forced to sleep on airport terminal floors while waiting for their flights to be rebooked.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that restoring normal operations would take time as airlines worked to reposition aircraft and crews.
However, FAA chief Bryan Bedford expected U.S. flight schedules to return to normal by the end of Sunday.
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