The hazards associated with ground operations can be underestimated, and without a disciplined approach, there is a lot of opportunity for a calm day to end very badly, very quickly. As of today, the worst aviation disaster in history is the 1977 runway collision involving two Boeing 747s in Tenerife in which 583 people died. More recently, in January 2024, a Japan Airlines A350 cleared to land on runway 34R at Haneda airport in Tokyo struck a Japan Coast Guard DHC-8-300 which had incorrectly entered the active runway without clearance. Five of the six occupants on the DHC-8-300 died, and miraculously, despite the aircraft being consumed by fire, all 379 passengers and crew on the A350 escaped with their lives. Sadly, there have been may other accidents in between.
While runway incursions have been very visible in the news recently, they are not a new concern and have been a consistent problem for the industry for years. Technology has helped increase safety, but it is not a panacea. Fortunately, most conflicts are resolved without an accident occurring, but many were avoided only by a few seconds, or even just fractions of a second.
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data shows the source of runway incursions over time remains relatively constant with pilot originating deviations the most prevalent, fluctuating between 61-67% of all events over time as shown below.
According to FAA data, common causes for runway incursions include:
- Miscommunication
- Lack of Situational Awareness
- Distraction
- Fatigue
- Inadequate Training
- Weather Conditions
Strategies to reduce your risk of a runway incursion from these contributing factors include:
Communication
- Use standard phraseology during communications, including applicable callsign and read back all hold short instructions.
- If one is issued, record the taxi clearance where it can be referenced, and review and ensure understanding of the clearance before moving the aircraft
- If unsure of any aspect of an Air Traffic Control clearance, seek clarification promptly, and if applicable, joint understanding with the other crewmember
- If instructed to follow another aircraft, ensure positive identification of the aircraft and your clearance limit
Situational Awareness
- When operating at any airport, whether controlled or uncontrolled, review, brief and understand:
- Hotspots, runway crossing points, parallel runways and planned taxi routes (outbound and inbound)
- Potential blind spots in your route created by buildings, berms or other traffic Have the airport diagram visible and where available, display and monitor “own ship position” on approved electronic flight bag device(s)
- Maintain a reasonable taxi speed, particularly at intersections of runways and other taxiways to provide time to react to threats or changing instructions
- Maintain awareness of other aircraft approaching or crossing your assigned runway and question a clearance that may put that aircraft in conflict with yours
- Beware of “Expectation Bias” where you unintentionally see (or hear) what you expect instead of what is occurring
Distraction
- Utilize sterile cockpit procedures during ground operations and minimize distractions from non-time critical activities such as recording flight times, discussing non-essential matters or loading a flight plan for a subsequent flight
- Taxi with both pilots “heads up” to the maximum extent possible except where essential to operate aircraft systems or complete checklists. Most programming can be safely paused until the aircraft is on a straight taxiway without any potential for runway crossing
Fatigue
- Making simple mistakes can be an indicator of fatigue
- If you experience the effects of unanticipated fatigue, slow down, take extra care, and as soon as appropriate stop the aircraft and discontinue further flight activities until adequately rested
Training
- Ensure you have a thorough understanding of markings, signs and lighting for movement and non-movement areas, including runway stop bar operation
Weather Conditions
- Be particularly alert in low visibility operations or when snow or other contamination is obstructing ground markings and signage
- Reduce speed commensurate with the conditions
Regardless of the source of the error, a runway incursion can have dire consequences for the occupants of an involved aircraft. Every crewmember has a critical role in runway excursion prevention, and utilizing a methodical, consistent, disciplined approach to ground navigation can reduce everyone’s risk. Just as flight path management is critical to correctly following the flight plan, precise management of ground navigation is equally critical to ensure the safety of the aircraft and its occupants.
