Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 and Boeing 747-243B accident near Miami, Florida, January 23, 1996
On January 23, 1996 at about 11:10 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 (PPSPE) and Boeing 747-243B (IDEML), were involved in the same accident near Miami, Florida (Miami International airport). No one was hurt; 459 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The local and ground controllers' failure to adequately coordinate the movement of the two airplanes, the tower cab supervisor's failure to provide adequate supervision to the controllers, the MD-11 flightcrew's misinterpretation of the local controller's question about whether they could make a right turn onto another taxiway as a clearance, and the MD-11 flightcrew's failure to ensure that their aircraft could clear the B-747.
The local and ground controllers' failure to adequately coordinate the movement of the two airplanes, the tower cab supervisor's failure to provide adequate supervision to the controllers, the MD-11 flightcrew's misinterpretation of the local controller's question about whether they could make a right turn onto another taxiway as a clearance, and the MD-11 flightcrew's failure to ensure that their aircraft could clear the B-747.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1996 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Miami International
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 459 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 · all MD-11s on the register
- Registration
- PPSPE · no longer on the register · serial 48412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 747-243B · all 747-243Bs on the register
- Registration
- IDEML · no longer on the register · serial 22511
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · foreign airline rules (Part 129)
The NTSB's narrative for the Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The ground controller (GC) had coordinated with the local controller (LC) and had cleared the B-747 across RWY 12 on taxiway V. The MD-11 had landed on RWY 9R and was in contact with the LC while holding short of RWY 12 at taxiways V and S. The flightcrew of the B-747 reported to the GC that the MD-11 was in the way on the opposite side of the runway. The GC did not acknowledge this and again cleared the B-747 across the rwy. The B-747 crossed the runway and stopped short of the MD-11. The tail of B-747 was still over the edge of RWY 12. The LC asked the MD-11 if they could make a right turn onto taxiway S. The flightcrew of the MD-11 acknowledged this as a clearance and began a right turn. The captain of the B-747 saw the MD-11 begin to move and transmitted on the ground control frequency for the pilot to stop. The MD-11 was on the local control frequency. The captain of the MD-11 pulled the aircraft to the far right side of the taxiway and the right main landing gear collided with 2 taxiway lights. The left wingtip of the MD-11 struck the nose of the B-747. As this occurred the GC asked the B-747 to pull up because the tail was obstructing RWY 12 and there was traffic landing. As the B-747 pulled forward, the left wingtip of the MD-11 collided with the left wing of the B-747. The landing traffic had included a 'heavy' aircraft which had landed while the B-747 was not completely clear of the runway (all parts of the airplane had not crossed the holding line).
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 747-243B final · quoted from the NTSB record
The ground controller (GC) had coordinated with the local controller (LC) and had cleared the B-747 across RWY 12 on taxiway V. The MD-11 had landed on RWY 9R and was in contact with the LC while holding short of RWY 12 at taxiways V and S. The flightcrew of the B-747 reported to the GC that the MD-11 was in the way on the opposite side of the runway. The GC did not acknowledge this and again cleared the B-747 across the rwy. The B-747 crossed the runway and stopped short of the MD-11. The tail of B-747 was still over the edge of RWY 12. The LC asked the MD-11 if they could make a right turn onto taxiway S. The flightcrew of the MD-11 acknowledged this as a clearance and began a right turn. The captain of the B-747 saw the MD-11 begin to move and transmitted on the ground control frequency for the pilot to stop. The MD-11 was on the local control frequency. The captain of the MD-11 pulled the aircraft to the far right side of the taxiway and the right main landing gear collided with 2 taxiway lights. The left wingtip of the MD-11 struck the nose of the B-747. As this occurred the GC asked the B-747 to pull up because the tail was obstructing RWY 12 and there was traffic landing. As the B-747 pulled forward, the left wingtip of the MD-11 collided with the left wing of the B-747. The landing traffic had included a 'heavy' aircraft which had landed while the B-747 was not completely clear of the runway (all parts of the airplane had not crossed the holding line).
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 Mcdonnell Douglas MD-11 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 140 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command; 6,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 21,341 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 23, 1996; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 618,000 lb
- Seats: 391
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-80 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBGR Sao Paulo OF at 1:45 pm
- Destination: MIA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9R, 13,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:21 pm from MIA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 12 | |||
| Passengers | 197 |
The factual record for the Boeing 747-243B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 17,593 hours in all; 6,002 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 12,667 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 59,875 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 29, 1995; 396 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 823,000 lb
- Seats: 437
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF6-50-E2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIA
- Destination: LIRF Rome OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 19 | |||
| Passengers | 231 |
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.
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.