Runway Incursions

Aviation Safety

Runway Incursions

Safety 409 – Aviation Safety

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to discuss runway incursions. Runway incursion will be defined and referenced by a few past accidents. Runway incursions will also be looked at from a safety standpoint. How to help mitigate runway incursions will also be discussed. Introducing safety management systems and the regulatory framework along with education, training, and human factors will be covered in an effort to reduce one of the National Transportation Safety Boards top seven most wanted safety improvements.

In 1990, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) created an annual “most wanted list” to highlight the top ten critical safety issues that impact transportation. Currently runway safety tops the list as the seventh most wanted safety improvement (Rodrigues and Cusick, 2012). Encompassed within runway safety is runway incursion. Runway incursion is defined as “Any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take-off of aircraft” (Runway Incursion, 2011). Runway incursions have involved air carriers, military aircraft, general aviation, pedestrians and vehicles. Results have led to collisions, severe injuries and fatalities. In order to mitigate and prevent runway incursions we must first look at what causes them to occur. Let’s begin by discussing three runway accidents, starting with the world’s most deadliest.

On March 27, 1977, KLM Flight 4805 and Pan Am Fligth1736 destined for the Canary Islands were diverted to Los Rodeos Airport located on the Island of Tenerife. Five other flights were also diverted into this small airport and it had become severally overcrowded. The airport only had one runway and one taxiway that ran parallel to...