Boeing 737 accident near Houston, Texas, January 10, 2024
On January 10, 2024 at about 4:10 pm local time, a 2015 Boeing 737, registered N62883, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Houston, Texas (Houston George Bush Interconti airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 185 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s aft fuselage impacted the runway as a result of a delayed flare and subsequent nose-high pitch inputs during the aircraft’s multiple touchdowns.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 2024 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Houston George Bush Interconti · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 185 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing 737 9, built 2015 · all 737s on the register
- Registration
- N62883 · registry record · serial 883
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
United Airlines flight 2498 experienced a tail strike while landing at George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas. The flight was a regularly scheduled domestic passenger flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX), Phoenix, Arizona to IAH. The flight crew statements and flight data showed a stable approach to the landing flare. The first officer was pilot flying and stated he began the flare slightly late. Both crewmembers stated the touchdown was firm with a slight “nose-high” bounce. The flight crew was not aware the airplane’s tail had impacted the runway until the ground crew at the gate notified them. Flight data showed that the airplane touched down on the runway with a 6.5-degree nose-up attitude and vertical acceleration of 1.87g. The speed brakes deployed two seconds after the initial touchdown. At the same time, the aircraft became airborne again and the nose began to lower. Two seconds later, as the speed brakes retracted, the airplane’s pitch began to increase, and the airplane touched down a second time with pitch of 7.2 degrees and a vertical acceleration of about 2.87g. The airplane became airborne for a 3rd time for about a second before it touched down for the final time. The nose was lowered to the ground, and speed brakes were extended again. Post-accident assessment of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to the auxiliary power unit (APU) firewall bulkhead that occurred as a result of the aircraft’s aft fuselage’s contact with the runway.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Tailstrike during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Copilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 31,700 hours in all; 21,200 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 18,540 as pilot in command; 326 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 9, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,187 hours in all; 896 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 106 in the last 30 days; 962 as pilot in command; 703 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 28, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,323 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 18, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 188,100 lb
- Seats: 186
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 3: Cfm CFM56-7B27E/F (turbofan); 28,857 hours total
- Engine 4: Cfm CFM56-7B27E/F (turbofan); 27,152 hours total
- Operator: United Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 5:35 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 4 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 179 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on May 17, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Captain Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | First Officer Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Flight Data Recorder Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Cockpit Voice Recorder - Email Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.