Partners and Programs:
  • BARS
  • GSIP
  • SKYbrary
  • ASN
  • Contact Us
  • Members' Center
  • Login
  • Support Aviation Safety

  • Industry Updates
  • The Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • Mission
    • History
    • Work with Us
    • Leadership
    • Officers and Staff
    • Media/Communications
    • Aviation Awards
    • Join Us
  • Events
  • AeroSafety World
  • Toolkits & Resources
    • COVID-19 Crisis Resources
    • Fatigue Management
    • Flight Path Monitoring
    • Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions (GAPPRE)
    • Go-Around Project
    • GSIP Toolkits
    • Past Safety Initiatives
    • Pilot Training and Competency
    • Podcasts
    • Special Reports
    • Unreliable Airspeed
  • Industry Updates
  • The Foundation
    • About the Foundation
    • Mission
    • History
    • Work with Us
    • Leadership
    • Officers and Staff
    • Media/Communications
    • Aviation Awards
    • Join Us
  • Events
  • AeroSafety World
  • Toolkits & Resources
    • COVID-19 Crisis Resources
    • Fatigue Management
    • Flight Path Monitoring
    • Global Action Plan for the Prevention of Runway Excursions (GAPPRE)
    • Go-Around Project
    • GSIP Toolkits
    • Past Safety Initiatives
    • Pilot Training and Competency
    • Podcasts
    • Special Reports
    • Unreliable Airspeed
  • Contact Us
  • Members' Center
  • Login
  • Support Aviation Safety
Partners and Programs:
  • BARS
  • GSIP
  • SKYbrary
  • ASN

FLIGHT SAFETY FOUNDATION HEADQUARTERS

701 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 250,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Phone: +1 703 739 6700 Fax: +1 703 739 6708

  • Front Page
  • Industry Updates
  • Serious U.S. Runway Incursions Declined in Fiscal 2017

Runway Safety (Conflicts), Airport Ops

Serious U.S. Runway Incursions Declined in Fiscal 2017

by FSF Editorial Staff | July 11, 2018

The number of serious runway incursions — those that fall into Categories A or B — reported to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in fiscal year 2017 declined to just eight, only three of which involved commercial aircraft, according to a recently updated FAA fact sheet on runway safety. In the previous fiscal year, FAA reported 19 serious incursions, 10 of which involved commercial aircraft. The U.S. government fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

A runway incursion is any occurrence at an airport involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and takeoff of aircraft. FAA defines a Category A incursion as a serious incident in which a collision was narrowly avoided. Category B incidents are those in which separation decreases and there is a significant potential for collision, which may result in a time-critical corrective/evasive response to avoid a collision.

The vast majority of incursions fall into Categories C and D and pose no risk of collision, FAA said.
In fiscal year 2000, FAA said there were 67 reported Category A and B runway incursions, of which 43 involved commercial aircraft. The fewest incursions in the past 18 years were reported in 2010, when there were six in Categories A and B, three of which involved commercial aircraft.

FAA said it has developed runway safety light (RWSL) technology to increase situational awareness for pilots and airport vehicle drivers. RWSL systems derive traffic information from surface and approach surveillance systems and illuminate red in-pavement airport lights to signal potentially unsafe situations. These systems include runway entrance lights, which illuminate if it is unsafe to enter or cross a runway, and takeoff hold lights that illuminate when there is an aircraft in position for departure and the runway is occupied by another aircraft or vehicle and is unsafe for takeoff.

RWSLs are operational at 18 large U.S. airports, and two more are scheduled to come online by February 2019, FAA said.

Share:

Print:

Key Safety Issues

  • Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT)
  • Loss of Control–In Flight (LOC-I)
  • Mechanical Issues
  • Runway Safety (approach and landing)
  • Sabotage/Intentional Acts
  • Midair Collisions (MAC)
  • Runway Safety (Conflicts)
  • Wildlife Issues
  • Fatigue
  • Cabin Safety
  • Emerging Safety Issues
    • Lithium Batteries
    • Safety Information Sharing and Protection
    • Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Related Content

Cover Story, Runway Safety

Tackling Runway Risks

Safety experts outline plans of attack to curb runway excursions and incursions.

by Frank Jackman

DataLink

Adding It All Up

FAA data show increases in runway incursions, loss of separation events.

by Linda Werfelman

News, Runway Safety (Conflicts)

TSB Recommends Runway-Safety Changes at Toronto

The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB), citing 27 runway incursions in just over five years at Toronto Lester B. Pearson International Airport, has issued a series of recommendations to…

by FSF Editorial Staff

Read more articles

701 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 250, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

Phone: +1 703 739 6700 Fax: +1 703 739 6708

Flight Safety Foundation on Twitter

The close encounter of an #EMS #helicopter and a Piper Seminole prompted the ATSB to encourage pilots to be more at… https://t.co/9TkW2TAtE4

June 23, 2022

Follow @flightsafety

Projects & Partners

  • Basic Aviation Risk Standard
  • Global Safety Information Project
  • SKYbrary
  • Aviation Safety Network
  • Donate
  • Advertise on our website
  • Sponsor & Exhibit at our Events
  • Work with Us
  • Contact Us
  • Site Map
  • Privacy

© 2022 Flight Safety Foundation

Join our group on LinkedIn