Boeing 737-7H4 and Bell 407 incident near Houston, Texas, April 28, 2010
On April 28, 2010 at about 5:25 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Boeing 737-7H4 (N242WN) and Bell 407 (N6YJ), were involved in the same incident near Houston, Texas (William P. Hobby Airport). No one was hurt; 140 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the local controller to issue control instructions necessary to ensure positive control/standard separation of traffic operating within the Class B airspace.
The failure of the local controller to issue control instructions necessary to ensure positive control/standard separation of traffic operating within the Class B airspace.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2010 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · William P. Hobby Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 140 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Boeing 737-7H4 · all 737-7H4s on the register
- Registration
- N242WN · registry record · serial 32505
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- Bell 407 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N6YJ · registry record · serial 53066
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 737-7H4 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Boeing 737 (B737) was departing from runway 12R and a Bell 207 was departing from the south helipad on a northbound departure route, when the aircraft came within approximately 125 feet vertically and 100 feet laterally at the departure end of runway 12R. The air traffic control tower controller did not issue traffic advisories to the B737 or the Bell 207. The incident occurred during daytime visual meteorological conditions.
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 Bell 407 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Boeing 737 (B737) was departing from runway 12R and a Bell 207 was departing from the south helipad on a northbound departure route, when the aircraft came within approximately 125 feet vertically and 100 feet laterally at the departure end of runway 12R. The air traffic control tower controller did not issue traffic advisories to the B737 or the Bell 207. The incident occurred during daytime visual meteorological conditions.
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 737-7H4 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Air traffic event during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › (general) › (general) › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Seats: 140
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cfm Intl CFM56-7B24 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southwest Airlines CO
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX
- Destination: BWI Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 12R, 7,602 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from HOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 3 | |||
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 135 |
The factual record for the Bell 407 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Air traffic event during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › (general) › (general) › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royc 250-C47B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: HOU Houston TX
- Destination: HOU Houston TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 12R, 7,602 ft by 150 ft
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number OPS10IA132.