Boeing 767-300ER and Boeing B737-924 incident near Houston, Texas, December 16, 2005
On December 16, 2005, 2 aircraft, Boeing 767-300ER (N319UP) and Boeing B737-924 (N32404), were involved in the same incident near Houston, Texas (Houston Intercontinental airport). No one was hurt; 176 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's failure to maintain clearance from a parked airplane awaiting for a gate. A contributing factor was that taxi procedures were not issued by ground control to advise the captain that the ramp area where he was taxing was designated as a non-movement area and not under the tower's control. Another factor was that company notices to airmen (NOTAMS) were not issued to advise their pilots that tarmac markings in that particular ramp area were not accurate, and that the area was a non-movement area not under the control of the tower.
The captain's failure to maintain clearance from a parked airplane awaiting for a gate. A contributing factor was that taxi procedures were not issued by ground control to advise the captain that the ramp area where he was taxing was designated as a non-movement area and not under the tower's control. Another factor was that company notices to airmen (NOTAMS) were not issued to advise their pilots that tarmac markings in that particular ramp area were not accurate, and that the area was a non-movement area not under the control of the tower.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2005
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Houston Intercontinental · map
- Type
- Incident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 176 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 767-300ER · all 767-300ERs on the register
- Registration
- N319UP · registry record · serial 27758
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing B737-924
- Registration
- N32404 · registry record · serial 30121
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 767-300ER final · quoted from the NTSB record
A cargo freighter was taxiing after landing to its loading area when it struck a parked airline passenger airplane that was waiting to enter its gate area. The cargo airplane was on the airport ground control frequency when the captain observed the airliner parked inside the double yellow lines, but he felt that the airplane was clear of its path. The passenger airplane was reported to be holding short of the gate due to traffic congestion in the gate area, with one engine running and monitoring its company ramp control frequency. The mishap occurred in the early evening, during the hours of darkness. After the collision, the airline passengers were deplaned via an airstair on to the ramp and then transported to the terminal. According to a current letter of agreement between the tower and the airport, this area of the ramp was established as a "non-movement area, " which is not under the control of the tower, including line markings. Neither airline had issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) to its pilots regarding this area.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Boeing B737-924 final · quoted from the NTSB record
See brief narrative for DFW06IA025A.
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 for the Boeing 767-300ER from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 84 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 130 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,117 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 409,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CF6-80 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: United Parcel Service Co.
The flight
- Departed from: SDF Louisville KY
- Destination: IAH Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from IAH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Boeing B737-924 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,028 hours in all; 7,261 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 6,010 as pilot in command; 365 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,175 hours in all; 3,750 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 5,680 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 187,700 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric CFM56 Series (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Continental Airlines, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SMF Sacramento CA
- Destination: IAH Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 167 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.