HOUSTON – Eight people were on board the two private jets that collided at Hobby Airport, and none of them were injured, according to a news release from the National Transportation Safety Board.
The airport issued an Alert 3 after the minor incident between two planes on Tuesday.
The NTSB has issued the following update on its investigation into Tuesday's runway collision at Houston Hobby International Airport. Additional information about NTSB investigative processes is available at https://t.co/BFrcJeNYsL pic.twitter.com/abYUDEmfrI
— NTSB Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) October 25, 2023
A Hawker 850 XP jet was told by an air traffic controller to line up and wait on Runway 22 at Hobby Airport. The Hawker then started to take off without permission, and its wing collided with the tail of a Cessna 510 airplane that had landed on Runway 13R.
The pilot inside the Hawker kept going and took off on Runway 22, then they returned and landed in the area. Five people were on the Cessna plane and three were on the Hawker.
A ground stop was issued at the airport due to the debris caused by the incident, but it was lifted Tuesday night. About 135 flights were affected, and 24 departing flights were canceled.
The debris has been cleared from the airfield. Hobby Airport has restored flight operations.
— Hobby Airport (@HobbyAirport) October 25, 2023
Please contact your airline for flight status. pic.twitter.com/UspVEenv1K
The NTSB has also sent six people to Houston to investigate the minor crash, and the Federal Aviation Administration was also involved. They are arriving on Wednesday and expected to be in the area for three to five days.
“The investigation will include the documentation of the damage to both airplanes; interviews with the pilots of both airplanes, the air traffic control staff and airport personnel; a review of all radio communications between the airplanes and air traffic controllers; and arrival and departure procedures at Houston Hobby International Airport,” the NTSB said.
A preliminary report of the incident will be available in about 30 days on the NTSB website, and the final report will be ready in 12 to 24 months.