The FAA and NTSB are investigating the Tuesday morning crash in Houston of a privately operated McDonnell Douglas MD-87. The twinjet experienced difficulties on takeoff from Houston Executive Airport en route to Boston and, according to a preliminary report from the FAA, the “aircraft on departure rolled through safety area into a pasture and caught on fire.” Local authorities said the airplane traveled approximately 500 feet down the airport’s 6,610-foot runway before the departure.
Though the twinjet was destroyed in a post-crash fire, all 21 aboard, including the two pilots, escaped to safety. An FAA preliminary report indicated that the 19 people in the cabin were all passengers, but the Texas Department of Public Safety said there were 18 passengers and one flight attendant, adding that all got out without serious injury.
The aircraft—N987AK—was registered to Spring, Texas-based 987 Investments for Part 91 operation. It was owned by a local businessman who was one of the passengers, according to local news reports. His company released a statement to AIN noting that “there was a minor injury sustained by a passenger going down the [emergency escape] slide, but thank God that there was no loss of life. We will be working with the FAA and the NTSB to ensure that we are complying with all of their requirements.”