Two LATAM Airbus aircraft damaged in ground collision in Sao Paulo: video

Two LATAM Airlines aircraft have sustained damage after being involved in a ground collision at Sao Paulo’s Congonhas Airport (CGH) in Brazil. The wingtip of one of the carrier’s A320neos was damaged in the incident while the other aircraft, an Airbus A319, saw impact damage to its tail cone structure. The collision reportedly occurred when the wingtip of the Airbus A320neo struck the tail of the A319 as the aircraft taxied past.  

The event occurred on December 3, 2025, as the A320neo registered PR-XBG was taxiing to depart as flight LA3064 bound for Curitiba (CWB). Meanwhile, the A319 registered PT-TMS was sitting at its parking stand while preparing to depart as flight LA3050 from Sao Paulo to Belo Horizonte Airport (CNF).       

Video footage of the incident appears to show the A320neo passing behind the parked A319 from left to right at low speed. Conditions at the airport appear to be wet with heavy rain and overcast skies over the airfield. As the A320neo passes to the rear of the A319, its right (starboard) wingtip impacts with the tail section of the second airplane, causing both aircraft to jolt. The A320neo slows as a result, while the A319 remains on its stand.  

Local reports have suggested that the ground crew of the A319 had just begun to push the aircraft backward off its stand as it prepared to depart for Belo Horizonte. The video would support these reports, as it appears that the ground crew quickly then started to pull the A319 forward again just as the impact occurred to avoid such an occurrence.  

LATAM Brasil A320Neo collides with a LATAM A319 while taxiing at Sao Paulo Congonhas Airport, Brazil. The incident occurred at low speed and left no injuries.In a statement, LATAM confirmed the collision between the two aircraft and said that “the event did not put any of the… pic.twitter.com/raG8SEb75E— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) December 3, 2024 There were no injuries to passengers or crew on either aircraft because of the collision and all passengers were disembarked in the usual manner, said a statement issued by LATAM Airlines. Both flights were subsequently canceled by the carrier which swiftly implemented its contingency plans by rerouting the two sets of affected passengers on alternative flights. Both aircraft were withdrawn from service for detailed inspections to take place as a result of the collision.   

According to a local report posted on social media (along with supporting images), the A320neo’s winglet will need to be replaced, and non-destructive testing (NDT) will be performed on its right outboard wing section to check for any potential fatigue or structural issues. In terms of the A319, its Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) exhaust duct will be replaced, and the APU itself will be removed for inspection to be assessed for any internal damage. 

The airline has stated that it is cooperating fully with the Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center (Cenipa), which will be conducting a full investigation into the incident. 

Thiago B Trevisan / ShutterstockThe investigation to determine the cause of the collision is likely to focus on the procedures that were being followed by the crews of both aircraft plus the ground crew responsible for pushing back the A319. It will also review any air traffic control communications made to both aircraft in the lead-up to the incident.  

While the collision caused no injuries to anyone onboard either of the aircraft or those on the ground, the incident highlights the safety issues surrounding aircraft handling procedures at compact and congested airports such as that at Congonhas Airport which is located in a downtown location in Sao Paulo.

The airport, which is well-known for its constrained space and high frequency and rapid turnaround operations closed briefly following the incident but quickly resumed operations shortly afterward without any delays to subsequent arrivals or departures.  

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