Collision between private jets prompts temporary Hobby shutdown

An apparent collision between two aircraft at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) in Houston prompted a temporary shutdown of the airport. The incident occurred when two private jets clipped their wings as they moved along the airfield at around 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 24.

According to a statement posted on HOU's X account, the aircraft have been declared fire-safe by the Houston Fire Department (HFD). However, due to the debris caused by the accident, the airfield was shut down until further notice.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is leading the investigation into the collision, as reported by Houston NBC affiliate KPRC News. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported. However, the debris on the ground led to a ground stop, preventing both takeoffs and landings. This impacted a total of 135 flights, including 24 departing flights that were canceled.

HOU advised passengers to contact their airlines for any flight changes and warned that diversions and cancellations were possible. The airport's X account stated that the debris had been fully removed and operations were restored a little after 7 p.m.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the collision involved a twin-engine Hawker H25B that took off without permission and struck a twin-engine Cessna C510 in the process of landing. The exact number of people aboard the aircraft involved in the collision is unknown, as reported by Houston FOX station KRIV News.

The investigation into the collision will provide more details on the cause and circumstances surrounding the incident.