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Passenger Reports 'Piece Fell Off' After Two United Jets Make Contact on Houston Tarmac

04:31 AM, 11/22/2025
Passenger Reports 'Piece Fell Off' After Two United Jets Make Contact on Houston Tarmac

Two United Airlines jets made contact on the Houston tarmac on Nov. 18, prompting both aircraft to return to the gate and delaying departures. A passenger reported a heavy jolt and said another traveler saw part of the plane fall off. United confirmed there were no injuries, arranged alternate aircraft, and both flights arrived several hours late. The incident follows a similar non-injury ground contact involving United in September.

Two United Airlines jets made contact on the tarmac at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport on the evening of Nov. 18. Both aircraft returned to the gate and departures were delayed; no injuries were reported.

What happened

United says that Flight 544, a Boeing 737-900 bound for Cleveland, was preparing to taxi when it "made contact" with the wing of Flight 2451, which had just pushed back from the gate and stopped. Flight-tracking data show the two flights were scheduled to depart within minutes of each other.

Passenger account

Randi Muck, a passenger on Flight 544, described a sudden, heavy jolt felt most strongly in the rear of the cabin. She said another traveler claimed to have seen a piece of the aircraft fall off and repeatedly alerted crew members until the plane was inspected.

Airline response and delays

United reported that both planes returned to the gate and passengers deplaned normally. No injuries were reported on either flight; Flight 544 had 101 passengers and six crew, and Flight 2451 had 73 passengers and six crew. The airline arranged alternate aircraft for customers, and Flight 544 later reached Cleveland nearly three hours later than planned while Flight 2451 arrived in Orlando just over two hours late.

Context

This incident follows a September ground contact involving United aircraft at San Francisco International Airport. Regulators and the airline typically review such ground incidents to determine causes and any needed safety actions.

Note: Passenger descriptions of debris prompted on-the-ground inspections; the airline has not reported any injuries and handled rebooking on replacement aircraft.

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