A collision between a Lufthansa Boeing 747-8 and an American Airlines Boeing 787-8 was narrowly avoided at Miami International Airport. The incident occurred on Thursday, November 5, during taxiing operations. The Lufthansa jumbo jet had to brake abruptly shortly before reaching the runway to avoid a collision with the Dreamliner. The American Airlines crew had apparently failed to follow an instruction from air traffic control.
The situation caused considerable frustration in the cockpit of the Lufthansa aircraft. The pilot described the incident to the control tower as a situation that had come dangerously close to becoming an accident.
American Airlines Boeing Enters Lufthansa’s Taxiway Path
The aircraft involved was Lufthansa flight LH463 from Miami to Frankfurt. The Boeing 747-8, registered as D-ABYT, was already taxiing towards its assigned runway when the dangerous encounter occurred.
The aircraft apparently responsible was an American Airlines Boeing 787-8, operating flight AA1155 from Philadelphia to Miami. During taxiing, the Dreamliner entered the path of the Lufthansa jumbo jet. According to instructions from air traffic control, the American Airlines aircraft should have stopped at position Yankee.
Radio communications between the pilots and the control tower suggest that the aircraft had already experienced difficulties while taxiing. According to the exchanges, the American Airlines crew had taken several wrong turns before the incident. This eventually created a serious situation for ground traffic at the airport.
Lufthansa Pilot Criticizes Dangerous Situation
According to the crew, the Boeing 747-8 had to brake sharply from taxiing speed and eventually come to a complete stop. This intervention prevented a potential collision with the American Airlines Boeing 787.
During the subsequent radio communication, the Lufthansa pilot openly expressed his frustration. Using the words “That was very close to an accident,” he emphasized just how narrowly the situation had been avoided from his perspective.
The fact that two large commercial aircraft could find themselves in such a dangerous situation on a taxiway understandably caused considerable frustration in the Lufthansa cockpit.
The incident highlights the importance of following taxi instructions and respecting designated holding positions at airports. Particularly at major international hubs such as Miami, precise coordination between flight crews and air traffic control is essential to prevent dangerous encounters on the ground.
