UPS and Copa Planes Collide While Taxiing at Miami Airport, Two Injured

A UPS cargo jet and a Copa Airlines passenger plane collided while taxiing at Miami International Airport on Saturday night, in a low-speed ground collision that injured two people and added to a weekend of disruption at one of America's busiest airports.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the wingtip of the Copa Boeing 737 struck the nose of the UPS Boeing 767 at about 9:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the intersection of two taxiways. Fire crews treated two people at the scene for minor injuries, and neither needed to be taken to hospital. The airport said operations were not affected, with aircraft routed along other taxiways.

Key Points

• What collided: UPS Flight 358, a Boeing 767 freighter bound for Bogota, Colombia, and Copa Airlines Flight 427, a Boeing 737 arriving from Panama City, Panama.
• When and where: about 9:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at the intersection of two taxiways at Miami International Airport.
• What the FAA says: the Copa jet's wingtip struck the nose of the UPS aircraft, and the FAA is investigating the collision.
• Injuries: two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries; neither needed hospital transport.
• The wider picture: the collision came as the airport was still clearing delays from Friday's nationwide FAA ground stop, and fire crews found no fuel leaks from either aircraft.

What Happened

The two aircraft met at a taxiway intersection on Saturday evening. The UPS freighter, Flight 358, was taxiing out for its departure to Bogota, Colombia, while the Copa passenger jet, Flight 427, was taxiing in after arriving from Panama City, Panama. At the intersection, the Copa jet's wingtip struck the nose of the UPS plane, the FAA confirmed.

Air traffic control audio indicates the UPS crew had been told to give way to the Copa flight and then moved past its holding point. The crew can be heard saying "we went too far" — the moment, in its own words, when the freighter had gone beyond where it was meant to stop.

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue treated two people for minor injuries; neither needed hospital transport. Fire crews checked both aircraft for fuel leaks and found none, and both planes were to be towed away. The airport said operations were not affected.

Background and Context

Miami International Airport is one of the busiest airports in the United States and a major gateway between North America and Latin America, handling heavy passenger traffic and a large cargo operation. Saturday's collision came at the end of a difficult weekend for the airport and for American aviation.

On Friday, the FAA ordered a nationwide ground stop that disrupted flights across the country, and Miami was still clearing the delays on Saturday when the two planes collided. US flight chaos dragged into Sunday, with more than 6,150 flights cancelled, as airlines worked through the backlog. Ground collisions are far less common than incidents in the air, but regulators take them seriously: a taxiing aircraft weighs hundreds of thousands of pounds, its engines are running, and its fuel tanks are full.

Miami Airport Plane Collision: What the FAA Is Investigating

The FAA confirmed the basic facts — the Copa wingtip striking the UPS nose — and said it is investigating. The inquiry will focus on how two aircraft ended up at the same taxiway intersection at the same time, and on the instructions the UPS crew received from air traffic control.

The control audio is likely to be central. The UPS crew was told to give way to the Copa flight, and the crew's own words, "we went too far", suggest the freighter moved past its holding point — the marked position where an aircraft is supposed to stop and wait. Investigators will want to know exactly what instruction was given, how it was read back, and whether the holding point was clearly marked and visible. They will also review the recordings and data from both aircraft, the ground radar picture, and the taxiway layout. No cause has been announced.

Reactions and Quotes

The most telling words came over the radio. After the UPS crew was told to give way to the Copa flight and moved past its holding point, the crew could be heard saying "we went too far" — a plain admission, in the moment, that the freighter had gone further than it should have.

The airport moved quickly to reassure travellers, saying operations were not affected, with aircraft routed along other taxiways. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed two people were treated for minor injuries and neither needed hospital transport. The FAA confirmed the collision and said it is investigating, but has not commented further on what caused it.

Why It Matters

Two people were hurt, both only slightly, and the airport kept running. By the standards of aviation incidents, this was a minor one. But it matters for three reasons. First, it happened at one of the busiest airports in the country, at the end of a weekend when the aviation system was already under strain. Second, it involved two large aircraft — a wide-body freighter and a passenger jet full of arriving travellers — and a small error in position was all it took to bring them together. Third, it is a reminder that danger in aviation is not only in the air: every ground collision is studied for what it says about safety systems.

What Happens Next

Both aircraft will be inspected for damage, and neither will fly again until engineers are satisfied it is safe. Both planes will need close examination, and repairs could keep them out of service for days. Investigators in another recent transport incident recovered the data recorder to establish what happened, and this investigation will similarly rely on the recordings and data from both aircraft.

The FAA investigation will then run its course, establishing the sequence of events and whether any procedures need to change at Miami or elsewhere. If it finds a wider lesson, the FAA can issue new guidance to airports and airlines. For now, the airport is operating normally, and the two injured people are recovering from minor injuries.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened at Miami airport?
A UPS Boeing 767 freighter and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737 collided while taxiing at Miami International Airport at about 9:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 14, 2026. The FAA said the Copa jet's wingtip struck the nose of the UPS aircraft.

Were any passengers hurt?
Two people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, and neither needed to be taken to hospital. No serious injuries were reported.

Which flights were involved?
UPS Flight 358, a Boeing 767 freighter bound for Bogota, Colombia, and Copa Airlines Flight 427, a Boeing 737 arriving from Panama City, Panama.

Is Miami airport still operating?
Yes. The airport said operations were not affected, with aircraft routed along other taxiways while the two planes were checked and towed away.

What caused the collision?
The FAA is investigating and has not announced a cause. Control audio indicates the UPS crew was told to give way to the Copa flight and moved past its holding point.