Houston Hobby Airport Closed After Private Jets Collide on Runway
Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport was forced to halt all flight operations for several hours on Tuesday after two small private jets clipped each other on the taxiway around 3:30pm local time. The collision caused debris to scatter across the runway, prompting an immediate ground stop at the airport.
According to preliminary information from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a twin-engine Hawker H25B departed Runway 22 without clearance and collided with a twin-engine Cessna C510 that was landing on Runway 13 Right. The Cessna was able to taxi to the ramp area following the incident.
“The debris has been cleared from the airfield. Hobby Airport has restored flight operations,” Hobby Airport officials said around 7pm Tuesday evening. “Please contact your airline for flight status.”
The abrupt runway closure resulted in 24 departing flights and 30 arriving flights being canceled at Hobby Airport. An additional 45 departing and 33 arriving flights faced delays, with 11 flights diverted to other airports in the region, including 6 to Bush Intercontinental.
Hobby Airport is a major regional hub, serving over 15 million passengers annually. A runway closure of this magnitude could have a ripple effect impacting air travel across southeast Texas.
Collision Under Investigation
The FAA indicated there were no injuries reported on either aircraft. The number of passengers on each plane is still unknown as the investigation continues.
“We are still investigating how many passengers were on board the planes,” said an FAA spokesperson.
The Hawker H25B can hold up to 9 passengers, while the Cessna C510 has room for 6.
Investigators will be looking into why the Hawker jet took off without clearance and how the collision occurred. There is a possibility the Hawker pilot or plane owner could face consequences for the unauthorized departure.
Runway collisions involving aircraft on the ground are rare, but dangerous, events. Incidents like this highlight the importance of ground control permissions and radio communications between pilots and air traffic control.
Houston Airport Operations Resume
After several hours, Houston Airport officials indicated around 7pm Tuesday evening that the debris had been fully cleared from the airfield and normal flight operations were resuming.
They advised travelers to check with their airline for specific flight updates. Departures and arrivals ramped back up at Hobby Airport heading into Tuesday evening.
The FAA will continue to look into how and why the collision occurred. For now, authorities are relieved no injuries occurred and airport operations could get back to normal relatively quickly following the jarring collision.
This incident came on the heels of recent reports uncovering a rash of close calls on runways and in the skies at major airports across the country. Aviation experts say rapid growth in air travel is taxing systems designed decades ago.