NEW DELHI: “Somebody hit us,” a Copa Airlines pilot told air traffic controllers moments after a UPS cargo aircraft struck the passenger jet on the taxiway at Miami International Airport, as audio recordings of the incident shed light on the sequence of events leading to the collision.The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident, which involved a UPS Boeing 767 and a Copa Airlines Boeing 737. Two people sustained minor injuries, according to the information provided.The Copa Airlines flight had arrived from Panama City with 166 passengers and six crew members on board and was taxiing towards the terminal. The UPS aircraft was preparing to depart for Bogota, Colombia.According to air traffic control (ATC) audio, controllers had instructed the UPS crew to give way to the arriving Copa aircraft before the two planes made contact.“Somebody hit us,” the Copa pilot told the control tower after the collision.The controller then questioned the UPS crew about whether its aircraft had struck the passenger jet.“Yeah, we went too far, and then he clipped us with the wing,” the UPS pilot replied.The Copa pilot subsequently reported damage to the aircraft, saying: “It seems that we are missing the left wingtip.”
Airlines cooperate with FAA investigation
Both airlines have said they will cooperate with the FAA investigation.Copa Airlines said it regretted the disruption caused to passengers and reiterated that their safety remained its priority.The airline said all 172 people on board were safely disembarked after the aircraft was towed to the gate.UPS also confirmed that its crew members were unharmed and said it was committed to assisting authorities in determining the cause of the collision.The preliminary information and ATC recording point to a possible failure to follow ground movement instructions. The FAA investigation will establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Collision follows nationwide US flight disruption
The incident occurred less than 24 hours after a nationwide FAA ground stop on Friday disrupted air travel across the United States.The ground stop triggered thousands of flight cancellations and delays, leaving passengers stranded at airports and forcing many to wait for rebooked flights.The latest collision has added to concerns over aviation operations in the US following a weekend of widespread travel disruption.
