IDEML

HISTORY OF FLIGHTS

On January 23, 1996, about 1810 eastern standard time, a McDonnell-Douglas MD-11, Brazil registration PP-SPE, operated by VASP Brazilian Airlines as flight 844 (VSP 844), collided during taxi from landing at Miami International Airport with a Boeing 747-243B, Italian registration I-DEML, operated by Alitalia as flight 631 (AZA 631). VSP 844 was arriving at Miami from Sao Paulo, Brazil. AZA 631 was taxiing for departure to Rome, Italy. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and instrument flight rules flight plans were filed for both flights. Both airplanes sustained substantial damage. The airline transport-rated captain, first officer, 10 flight attendants, and 197 passengers on VSP 844 were not injured. The airline transport-rated captain, first officer, flight engineer, 2 extra flight crew, 14 flight attendants, and 231 passengers on AZA 631 were not injured. VSP 844 had departed Sao Paulo, Brazil, en route to Miami on January 23, 1996, about 0955. AZA 631 was originating at the time of the accident.

At 1800:30, the flight crew of AZA 631 made initial radio contact with the FAA Miami Air Traffic Control Tower ground controller advising, " Miami good evening Alitalia six thirty one foxtrot one nine request pushback." The ground controller approved their request. At 1801:48, the flight crew of VSP 844 made initial radio contact with the FAA Miami Air Traffic Control Tower local controller advising, "Miami tower VASP eight forty four heavy for I-L-S runway niner right." The local controller replied, "VASPI eight forty four heavy Miami tower you're following twin Cessna traffic on a two and a half mile final runway niner right cleared to land hold short of runway one two for landing and departing traffic wind one three zero at one four." The flight crew acknowledged their landing clearance.

At 1805:41, the flight crew of AZA 631 advised the ground controller, "ground Alitalia six three one is ready for taxi plus we need nine right." The ground controller replied, "Alitalia six three one heavy Miami ground roger turn left hold short of runway one two expect nine right." At 1805:53, the flight crew responded, "that's a left turn hold short expect nine right." At 1806:03, the local controller transmitted, "VASPI eight forty four heavy turn left hold short of runway one two and stay with me." The flight crew replied, "hold short one two with you." At 1806:56, the local controller transmitted "VASPI eight forty four heavy hold short of twelve for landing traffic." The flight crew acknowledged the transmission. At 1807:22, the ground controller transmitted, "Alitalia six thirty one heavy taxi up to and hold short of runway one two please all the way up to and hold short of twelve." The flight crew of AZA 631 acknowledged the transmission.

At 1807:54, the ground controller instructed, "Alitalia six thirty one heavy cross one two taxi to nine right." At 1808:00 the flight crew replied, "we have an aircraft ah opposite of Alitalia six three one." The ground controller did not immediately respond but rather at 1808:13, the ground controller again transmitted, "Alitalia six thirty one heavy cross runway one two." At 1808:17, the flight crew of AZA 631 acknowledged the clearance. At 1809:22, the flight crew of AZA 631 transmitted, "Alitalia six three one (unintelligible)." Concurrent with this transmission, the local controller transmitted to the flight crew of VSP 844, "VASPI eight forty four heavy can you turn right there on sierra." On the ground control frequency, at 1809:26, the ground controller transmitted "Alitalia six thirty one heavy can you continue via sierra." At 1809:27, the flight crew of VSP 844 replied "turn right on sierra VASPI eight forty four." At 1809:32, the flight crew of AZA 631 responded to the ground controller transmission, stating, "you mean to the right ah negative." At 1809:38, the ground controller replied, "Alitalia six thirty one heavy continue via sierra the VASPI's gonna continue up to and hold short of runway one two." At 1809:46, the flight crew of AZA 631 responded, "ok we'll......"

At 1809:47, the ground controller transmitted, "Alitalia six three one heavy change to my frequency one two one point eight." The flight crew acknowledged the frequency change. At 1810:13, the flight crew of AZA 631 transmitted, "ah ground Alitalia six three one stop please." At 1810:17, the ground controller transmitted, "Alitalia six thirty one Miami can you continue taxing via sierra do you have enough room there." There was no response from the flight crew. At 1810:46, the ground controller transmitted, "Alitalia six three one heavy can you move up at all for me please." At 1810:49 the flight crew replied, "yeah we can move up but we have been hit by the VASP." At 1810:55, the ground controller responded, "ok move up as much as you can for traffic landing runway one two please." Concurrent with this transmission, an aircraft advised the local controller, "and tower be advised that ah that D-C ten just hit that seven forty seven when he was taxing around." At 1811:02, the flight crew of VSP 844 transmitted, Miami VASP eight forty four are we cleared to cross one two." The local controller replied, "VASPI hold short of twelve." The flight crew acknowledged. At 1811:07, the flight crew of AZA 631 transmitted to the ground controller, "Alitalia six three one (unintelligible)." At 1811:23, the local controller transmitted, "and ah who was the aircraft that ah reported that." The pilot responded, " that's two two three he's got ah part of his wing tip fell off when he hit the side of the ah seven forty seven I think."

At 1812:11, the ground controller transmitted to an airport authority vehicle, "ramp twenty there's been ah report of ah M-D eleven a VASPI that possible ah that ah the ah hit the wing tip of the Alitalia seven forty seven crossing ah on the south side of runway one two can you check that out for me please see if there is any fod out there." The driver replied, "ok." At 1812:43, the ground controller transmitted, "Alitalia six thirty one heavy there's been a report that the M-D eleven possibly hit the end of your wing tip there." The flight crew replied, "yes that's why I told you there was not enough space for two planes." The flight crew then advised, "anyway Alitalia six three one has been hit on the cone nose and on the wing from the M-D eleven." At 1813:07, the local controller instructed the flight crew of VASP 844 to cross runway one two and to contact the ground controller. The flight crew acknowledged their clearance. At 1813:13, the ground controller inquired, "Alitalia six thirty one heavy roger you say the wing did hit your wing was that correct." The flight crew replied, "The M-D eleven has hit first our nose then our left ah tip." The ground controller transmitted, "Alitalia six thirty one heavy can you turn east bound on taxiway tango to hold short of runway one two." There was not an immediate reply from the flight crew. After discussions with the driver of a ramp vehicle concerning debris from the collision, at 1816:39, the flight crew of AZA 631 was cleared to cross runway one two and return to their gate. The flight crew acknowledged the crossing instruction and advised the ground controller that they were clear of the runway at 1817:34.

The captain of VSP 844 stated that after landing on runway 9R he turned off the runway onto taxiway "V". He was instructed by the tower controller to hold short of runway 12 and stay on the tower frequency. He held his position on the taxiway for about 7 minutes. AZA 631 was across runway 12 waiting to cross the runway on taxiway "V". AZA 631 was on the ground control frequency. AZA 631 taxied across the runway and stopped in front of his aircraft on taxiway "V". After a little while he was instructed by the tower controller to make a right turn on taxiway "S" and hold short of runway 12. In his judgment he was too close to AZA 631 to proceed and he opted to make visual contact with the captain of AZA 631. He received a visual reply from the captain of AZA 631 that he could make the right turn. He started the right turn and after some seconds felt the aircraft shake. He thought he had hit a taxiway light because he had pulled to the far right side of the taxiway. He checked the condition of his aircraft's tires on the aircraft's electronic configuration page and finding them normal he continued to taxi. Attempting to visually check the position of AZA 631, he saw only the tail and the aircraft seemed to be moving. He then felt his aircraft shake again. He received clearance from the tower controller to cross runway 12. As he crossed the runway he was notified by a flight attendant that they had collided with AZA 631. He was then instructed to change to the ground control frequency and was cleared to taxi to the gate.

The captain of AZA 631 stated he received taxi instructions from the ground controller to taxi via taxiway "V" and hold short of runway 12. While holding short of the runway 12 he observed VSP 844 across the runway taxing on taxiway "V". The ground controller cleared him across runway 12 and he immediately informed the ground controller of the position of VSP 844. The ground controller, nevertheless, directed him to cross runway 12. Upon crossing runway 12, but not completely clear of the runway, he was unable to continue taxing because of the relative position of VSP 844. He advised the ground controller of the situation and was told to contact ground control on 121.8 mhz. He did not know what frequency VSP 844 was on. As he was changing frequencies he observed VSP 844 continue its taxi up "V" and about to make a right turn on "S". He was completely stopped with the brakes set. He did not have any visual contact with the flight crew of VSP 844. He immediately yelled into the microphone "stop! stop!" but VSP 844 continued. He watched helpless as VSP 844s left winglet str...