A Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 narrowly avoided a collision with an American Airlines Boeing 787-8 at Miami International Airport (MIA) last week. The incident occurred on November 5 when the Dreamliner turned into the taxi path of the jumbo jet, forcing the Lufthansa crew to execute a full stop at full taxi speed.
Lufthansa Flight LH463 Forced to Halt
Lufthansa flight LH463 was en route to the runway for its scheduled departure to Frankfurt, Germany. According to air traffic control (ATC) transmissions reported by aeroTELEGRAPH, the situation escalated when an American Airlines flight, AA1155, arrived from Philadelphia and turned across the 747’s path. The Lufthansa pilots informed ATC that they had to stop abruptly to prevent a crash.
The Lufthansa crew expressed their frustration with the near-miss. In their communication with controllers, they stated that the situation was “very close to an accident in the making” and indicated they would file a formal report. The American Airlines aircraft, registered as N803AL, had landed at 5:15 PM and was taxiing toward the gate area near the intersection of runways 09/27 and 12/30.
American Airlines Crew at Fault
ATC controllers in Miami identified the American Airlines crew as the party at fault. Controllers noted that the 787 was supposed to hold short of taxiway Yankee but instead made “every wrong turn possible.” The Dreamliner turned right directly in front of the Lufthansa 747, which was proceeding toward the runway. The Lufthansa 747, which features a special retro livery, managed to stop in time, avoiding a potentially catastrophic collision on the ground.
The incident underscores the reliance on pilot compliance within the air traffic control system. Controllers issue instructions with the expectation that crews will follow them precisely, but human error can lead to dangerous situations. This event serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in modern aviation operations, where a single mistake can have severe consequences.
Delays and Operational Context
The close call resulted in significant delays for Lufthansa flight LH463. The flight was scheduled to push back at 4:40 PM but did not depart until approximately 5:00 PM. After the incident, the aircraft faced a long taxi to the southern runway and eventually took off at 5:33 PM, 53 minutes behind schedule. It landed in Frankfurt at 8:24 AM the following day, 39 minutes late.
While the American Airlines 787-8 is a modern long-haul widebody aircraft, its use on the three-hour route between Philadelphia and Miami is relatively rare. According to scheduling data from Cirium, American Airlines operates nine or ten daily flights on this route. The 787 accounts for only one of these rotations, with the majority of flights served by Airbus A321-200s, A321neos, Boeing 737-800s, and 737 MAX 8s. The 787 has been used on this specific rotation since November 1.
Miami International Airport has been contacted for further information regarding the incident. As of now, no official statement has been released by the airport or the airlines involved.
Source: Simple Flying
