Minor Collision at São Paulo-Congonhas Airport Involving Two LATAM Aircraft

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Date: Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Time: Approximately 08:21 AM
Location: São Paulo-Congonhas Airport (CGH/SBSP), Brazil

Aircraft Involved:

  • Airbus A320-271N (Registration: PR-XBG, MSN: 11725)
  • Airbus A319-132 (Registration: PT-TMA, MSN: 4000)

Incident Overview

Two aircraft operated by LATAM Airlines Brasil were involved in a minor ground collision at São Paulo-Congonhas Airport. The Airbus A321-271N (registration PR-XBG) was taxiing to the runway for departure as flight LA3004 to Brasília when its right wing collided with the tail cone of the stationary Airbus A319-132 (registration PT-TMA) performing pushback from parking position 11 for flight LA3176.

The incident occurred near parking position 11 and taxiways Mike and November. Both aircraft sustained minor damage, and no injuries were reported among the crew or passengers.

Sequence of Events

  1. PR-XBG (A321-271N): Cleared for taxi via taxiways Mike and Lima, it requested to use taxiway November due to ongoing maintenance on taxiway Mike, as indicated in a NOTAM. This request was granted by air traffic control (ATC).
  2. PT-TMA (A319-132): Cleared for pushback from parking position 11 shortly before the A321 began taxiing.
  3. Collision: During the A319’s pushback and the A321’s taxi along taxiway November, the A321’s right wingtip struck the A319’s tail cone.

Contributing Factors

1. NOTAM Restrictions on Taxiway Mike:

  • A NOTAM issued for São Paulo-Congonhas Airport indicated that taxiway Mike was partially closed due to maintenance between parking positions 15 and 16. This closure required flight LA3004 to use an alternative route, increasing the likelihood of interaction with aircraft in nearby parking positions.

2. Ground Coordination Challenges:

  • The proximity of active pushback operations to alternative taxi routes may have increased the complexity of ground traffic management. Parking position 11’s close location to taxiway November likely contributed to the collision.

3. Situational Awareness:

  • Although both aircraft were operating within their ATC clearances, the collision suggests potential gaps in situational awareness either on the part of the pilots or ground coordination.

Damage Assessment

  • PR-XBG (A321-271N): Sustained damage to its right wingtip.
  • PT-TMA (A319-132): Suffered damage to its tail cone.

Neither aircraft was rendered unserviceable, but both required inspections and minor repairs before returning to operation.



Operational Impact

The collision resulted in brief delays for both flights and necessitated the repositioning of the damaged aircraft for inspection. Passengers were accommodated on alternative flights.

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Confidence Rating

The information provided is based on news reports and social media sources, which may not always be fully verified. This analysis is a self-effort and does not reflect official statements or conclusions. As such, the confidence rating for this data is considered unofficial and subject to further investigation.

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Location: São Paulo/Congonhas–Deputado Freitas Nobre Arpt (CGH) - Av. Washington Luís, s/n - Campo Belo, São Paulo - SP, 04626-911, Brazil

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