Expectation Bias Contributes to Texas Runway Collision

NTSB final report cites distracted pilots and an inoperative cockpit voice recorder played a role in a 2023 ground collision at Hobby Airport.

Meg Godlewski

Monday, October 27, 2025 at 03:30 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Aft view of the Citation damage to its empennage [Credit: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

A 2023 ground collision at William P. Hobby Airport occurred when a Hawker 850XP initiated takeoff without clearance, striking a landing Citation Mustang on an intersecting runway.
The NTSB determined the probable cause was the Hawker crew's unauthorized takeoff, with expectation bias (believing they received a takeoff clearance) and distractions from cockpit warnings and flight management system issues as contributing factors.
The investigation also highlighted the air traffic controller's omission of a required traffic advisory and an inoperative cockpit voice recorder on the Hawker, which hindered a full understanding of crew actions.

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Expectation bias played a factor in the 2023 ground collision between a Raytheon Hawker 850XP and a Textron Aviation 510 Citation Mustang at William P. Hobby Airport (KHOU) in Houston in 2023.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) final report, on October 24 at 3:20 p.m. CDT in VFR conditions, the Citation had just landed on Runway 13R and was rolling out when its vertical stabilizer was struck by the left wing tip of the Hawker, which was taking off from Runway 22.