Boeing 757-232 and Airbus A-320 incident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, July 11, 2007
On July 11, 2007 at about 6:37 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 757-232 (N6714Q) and Airbus A-320 (N487UA), were involved in the same incident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale International airport). No one was hurt; 307 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The probable cause of this incident was the United 1544 flight crew's inadvertent entry onto the active runway.
The probable cause of this incident was the United flightcrews' inadvertant entry onto an active runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2007 · about 6:37 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale International · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 307 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 757-232 · all 757-232s on the register
- Registration
- N6714Q · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Airbus A-320 · all A-320s on the register
- Registration
- N487UA · registry record
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 757-232 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 11, 2007, at 1437 Eastern daylight time a runway incursion occurred at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, (FLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida between United (UAL) flight 1544, an A-320 and Delta Airlines (DAL) flight 1489, a Boeing 757. The incident occurred in day visual flight rules conditions, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 4,800 feet. The FLL ground controller (GC) instructed UAL1544 to taxi to runway 9L via taxiways T7, D, and B. As the flight was taxiing on taxiway D near runway 9L, the tower local controller (LC) noticed the airplane was going too fast to hold short of the runway. LC told the GC to tell UAL to stop. The GC said "UAL 1544 stop, stop, stop". The crew stopped on runway 9L, 30 feet from the centerline. DAL1489 was inbound for landing on runway 9L when LC determined that UAL1544 was not going to hold short of the runway. LC instructed DAL1489 to go around. When the crew received the instruction, the main landing gear was on the ground. According to the crew statement, they noted the urgency in the controller's voice so they knew they had to get the aircraft airborne. FAA reported DAL1489 flew over UAL1544 by less than 100 feet. According to the FAA, the UAL crew stated they missed the turn onto taxiway B. FLL air traffic control tower is not equipped with either AMASS or ASDE-X. All airport lighting was functioning normally.
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 Airbus A-320 final · quoted from the NTSB record
On July 11, 2007, at 1437 Eastern daylight time a runway incursion occurred at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport, (FLL), Fort Lauderdale, Florida between United (UAL) flight 1544, an A-320 and Delta Airlines (DAL) flight 1489, a Boeing 757. The incident occurred in day visual flight rules conditions, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 4,800 feet.
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 757-232 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Delta Airlines INC Dfw Base Maintenance
The flight
- Departed from: KATL Atlanta GA
- Destination: KFLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9L, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KFLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 6 | |||
| Passengers | 164 |
The factual record for the Airbus A-320 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: United Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: KFLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Destination: KIAD Washington DC
- Flight plan: IFR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 133 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N6714Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.