Airbus A319 115 and Boeing 737 800 accident near Miami, Florida, December 3, 2017
On December 3, 2017 at about 11:25 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Airbus A319 115 (N9011P) and Boeing 737 800 (N344PP), were involved in the same accident near Miami, Florida (Miami International airport). No one was hurt; 294 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the flight crew of N9011P to maintain an appropriate clearance from N344PP, which was stopped on the taxiway.
The failure of the flight crew of N9011P to maintain an appropriate clearance from N344PP, which was stopped on the taxiway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2017 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 294 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Airbus A319 115 112, built 2013 · all A319 115s on the register
- Registration
- N9011P · registry record · serial 5798
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 737 800 800, built 2017 · all 737 800s on the register
- Registration
- N344PP · registry record · serial 31272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Airbus A319 115 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737 800 final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Airbus A319 115 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,806 hours in all; 3,470 in this make and model; 3,470 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 17, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,823 hours in all; 1,556 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 6, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 166,449 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-5B6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-5B6 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: TGU Tegusigalpa at 9:03 pm
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from MIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 121 |
The factual record for the Boeing 737 800 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,348 hours in all; 5,496 in this make and model; 5,630 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 21, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 112 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24E (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24E (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: SJU San Juan PR at 8:31 pm
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 162 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9011P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
1984-03-06ATL84FA116 · accident near Manassas, VA · destroyed · fatal
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.