- Date
- December 3, 2017, 18:25 local (23:25 UTC)
- Place
- Miami, FL
- Injuries
- 294 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Defining events
- Taxi-from runway: Ground collisionStanding-engine(s) operating: Ground collision
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Major Investigations Division
- Case key
- 96472
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The failure of the flight crew of N9011P to maintain an appropriate clearance from N344PP, which was stopped on the taxiway.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
N9011P · Airbus A319 115
N344PP · Boeing 737 800
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
N9011P · Airbus A319 115
N344PP · Boeing 737 800
Analysis
On December 3, 2017, about 1825 eastern standard time, American Airlines flight 1531, an Airbus 319, N9011P, collided with American Airlines flight 1613, a Boeing 737-800, N344PP, on a taxiway at Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. There were no injuries to the occupants of either airplane and N344PP was substantially damaged. Both flights were scheduled passenger flights operating under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121. N9011P originated from Toncontín International Airport (MHTG), Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and had 126 passengers and crew onboard. N344PP originated from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (TJSJ), San Juan, Puerto Rico, and had 168 passengers and crew onboard. According to flight crew statements, N344PP had landed on runway 09 and was instructed to turn onto taxiway N5 from taxiway M. The captain set the parking brake as they waited for preceding traffic to clear. N9011P was following N344PP along taxiway M and observed N344PP stop on the taxiway N5 with its tail partially blocking taxiway M. After several minutes of waiting, N9011P requested permission to taxi past N344PP, which was granted. As the Captain of N9011P slowly taxied, the first officer (FO) attempted to visually monitor clearance between their airplanes wingtip and N344PPs horizontal stabilizer. The FO stated that he was temporarily blinded by the glare from the ramp lights and the airplanes collided. N9011P received minor damage to its right wingtip and the lower spar of N344PP's horizontal stabilizer was fractured.
Factual narrative
On December 3, 2017, about 1825 eastern standard time, American Airlines flight 1531, an Airbus 319, N9011P, collided with American Airlines flight 1613, a Boeing 737-800, N344PP, on a taxiway at Miami International Airport (KMIA), Miami, Florida. There were no injuries to the occupants of either airplane and N344PP was substantially damaged. Both flights were scheduled passenger flights operating under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 121. N9011P originated from Toncontín International Airport (MHTG), Tegucigalpa, Honduras, and had 126 passengers and crew onboard. N344PP originated from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (TJSJ), San Juan, Puerto Rico, and had 168 passengers and crew onboard. According to flight crew statements, N344PP had landed on runway 09 and was instructed to turn onto taxiway N5 from taxiway M. The captain set the parking brake as they waited for preceding traffic to clear. N9011P was following N344PP along taxiway M and observed N344PP stop on the taxiway N5 with its tail partially blocking taxiway M. After several minutes of waiting, N9011P requested permission to taxi past N344PP, which was granted. As the Captain of N9011P slowly taxied, the first officer (FO) attempted to visually monitor clearance between their airplanes wingtip and N344PPs horizontal stabilizer. The FO stated that he was temporarily blinded by the glare from the ramp lights and the airplanes collided. N9011P received minor damage to its right wingtip and the lower spar of N344PP's horizontal stabilizer was fractured.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N9011P
- Reported as
- Airbus A319 115 (112)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5798
- Built
- 2013
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-5B6, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-5B6, turbo fan
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines
- Registered owner
- Wells Fargo Bank Northwest Na Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- TGU · Tegusigalpa
- Destination
- MIA · Miami, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MIA · Miami International
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N344PP
- Reported as
- Boeing 737 800 (800)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31272
- Built
- 2017
- Engines
- CFM Intl CFM56-7B24E, turbo fanCFM Intl CFM56-7B24E, turbo fan
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- American Airlines
- Registered owner
- Wilmington Trust Co Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- SJU · San Juan, PR
- Destination
- MIA · Miami, FL
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MIA · Miami International
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N9011P
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 17, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 20,806 total · 3,470 in this make and model · 3,470 as pilot in command
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N9011P
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 6, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 5,823 total · 1,556 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N344PP
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 15,348 total · 5,496 in this make and model · 5,630 as pilot in command
- Role
- Co-pilot, aircraft N344PP
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 112 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 50° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- MIA
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.7 MB in all.