Jet Had Expedited Takeoff For WN Emergency

(UPDATE 11.05.05 0030 GMT: Reports now indicate the aircraft involved in Saturday's mishap at Houston Hobby was a Cessna Citation 500, not the newer III model as was previously reported.  Aero-News is awaiting further confirmation of the actual aircraft, identities of the crew onboard, and circumstances surrounding the accident -- Ed.)

A Cessna Citation III went down Saturday morning at Houston Hobby airport while attempting an emergency landing, killing the pilot and copilot onboard. The plane has just departed Hobby after being told to expedite its takeoff in order to make room for an incoming Southwest 737 that had declared a prior emergency, but was then diverted to nearby airport instead.

"It hit and slid. There was a fire," said Houston Fire Department District Chief Tommy Dowdy to the Associated Press. "This thing tumbled around 300 feet. There was extensive damage. It hit on one of the runways and slid across a grassy area to a parallel runway."

After takeoff, the Citation's pilots told the tower they were experiencing an unknown problem, and were cleared to make an emergency landing.

The Citation (file photo of type, below) had been in position on the runway when the pilots were told by the tower to takeoff immediately to make room for the Southwest plane, which had declared an emergency following a high oil temp readout. Flight 422, with 119 passengers onboard, later landed safely at Bush Intercontinental, according to Southwest spokeswoman Ginger Hardage.

It is not known if the Citation had indicated trouble prior to being told to takeoff, and the identities of the Citation pilots have not been released.

Aero-News will pass along more information as it becomes available.

FMI: www.houstonairportsystem.org