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Runway excursion - Wikipedia

A runway excursion is a runway safety incident in which an aircraft makes an inappropriate exit from the runway. This happens mainly due to late landings or inappropriate runway choice.

When an aircraft exits the end of the runway, this is referred to as runway overrun (or informally, runway overshoot). Runway excursions can happen because of pilot error, poor weather, or a fault with the aircraft. Runway excursions may occur both during takeoff or landing.[2]

According to the Flight Safety Foundation, as of 2008, runway excursions were the most frequent type of landing accident, slightly ahead of runway incursion.[3] For runway accidents recorded between 1995 and 2007, 96% of runway accidents and 80% of accidents with fatalities involved runway excursions.[3]

Efforts to address runway excursion either focus on preventing runway excursions, or on minimizing the amount of damage or injury caused by a runway excursion. In the latter category, aviation safety regulators may establish standards such as minimum runway safety areas intended to allow adequate time and distance for an aircraft to stop in the event of a runway excursion.

A key aspect of preventing runway excursions is providing runways of sufficient length and width to accommodate the aircraft used at an airport. In the 1960s, the advent of jet airliners such as the Boeing 707, which operate at faster speeds including at takeoff and landing relative to earlier propeller-driven airliners, required longer runways. In the mid-1960s, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) proposed increasing minimum runway length requirements by 800 feet (240 m) at all U.S. airports with jet airliner service, extending to 1,200 feet (370 m) feet in rain or snow conditions. However, these requirements would have necessitated building extending runways or even building new airports in some cities. After strong industry response, the FAA withdrew the proposal and instead only mandated a fifteen per cent increase to minimum runway length during wet or slippery landing conditions.[4]

Preventing runway excursions can necessitate building new airports, when there is not room to expand existing runways. On July 1, 1965, Continental Airlines Flight 12 (a Boeing 707) overran the runway while landing in rain and high winds at Kansas City Municipal Airport. Investigators ruled out pilot error, and determined it would have been impossible to stop the aircraft in the available runway length. Extending the 7,000-foot (2,100 m) runway was not possible due to space limitations surrounding the urban airport, and construction on Kansas City International Airport north of the city was approved the next year, opening in 1972 with runways 9,500 feet (2,900 m) and 9,000 feet (2,700 m) in length.

Airports such as LaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, may lack adequate space to meet runway safety area standards. As a result, in the 1990s, the FAA began conducting research on new technology to rapidly stop aircraft in less than 1,000 feet (300 m) in the event of a runway overrun.[5]

The engineered materials arrestor system (EMAS) was developed as a high energy absorbing material that could be installed as a surface beyond the end of runways, which was designed to collapse under the weight of an aircraft (absorbing energy and slowing the plane in the process) in the event of an overrun. EMAS was installed at LaGuardia Airport starting in 2005 and ending in 2015.[5] In October 2016, a Boeing 737 aircraft with 37 people aboard, including Republican vice-presidential candidate Mike Pence, overran the runway while landing at LaGuardia. EMAS was credited with bringing the plane to a stop safely and with no serious damage or casualties.[6][7][8]

As of December 2020, EMAS has been installed at more than 100 runway end locations at more than 50 commercial airports in the United States, and has safely stopped 15 aircraft involved in runway overruns.[9]

Airbus is developing the Runway Overrun Prevention System, a flight systems technology intended to prevent runway overruns by increasing pilots' situational awareness and enhancing automation during landings.[5]

The following list includes runway excursions, which are notable because they resulted in fatalities, aircraft destruction, or substantial aviation safety changes or improvements.

Event Year Location Description British European Airways Flight 609 1958 West Germany Munich-Riem Airport, Munich, West Germany The Airspeed Ambassador crashed on its third attempt to take off at Munich-Riem Airport due to runway slush. The flight was carrying the Manchester United football team back home, along with supporters and journalists, from a European Cup match in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia). There were 44 people on board, 20 of whom died at the scene. Three more injured died at hospital, resulting in 23 fatalities with 21 survivors. TAP Air Portugal Flight 425 1977 Portugal Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport, Portugal A Boeing 727 operating the service overran the airport's runway before crashing onto the nearby beach and exploding, killing 131 of the 164 people on board. It remains TAP's only fatal accident in its history.[10][11] The runway was 5,200 ft (1,600 m) long at the time of the crash. It would be extended in 1986 to 5,900 ft (1,800 m) and again in 2000 to 9,124 ft (2,781 m). Aeroservicios Ecuatorianos Flight 767-103 1984 Ecuador Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Quito, Ecuador The DC-8 cargo flight to Guayaquil failed to take off at Quito Airport, hitting an instrument landing system (ILS) antenna at the end of the runway and then striking several houses. All 4 crew and 49 people on the ground were killed. American Airlines Flight 70 1988 United States Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, United States A McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 overran a runway at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) after warning signals prompted the flight crew to initiate a rejected takeoff. The jetliner continued to accelerate for several seconds and did not stop until it had run 1,100 feet (335 m) past the runway threshold, collapsing the nose landing gear. Two crew were seriously injured and the remaining 12 crew and 240 passengers escaped safely; the aircraft was severely damaged and was written off. Investigators attributed the overrun to a shortcoming in the design standards when the DC-10 was built; there had been no requirement to test whether worn (as opposed to new) brake pads were capable of stopping the aircraft during a rejected takeoff, and eight of the ten worn pad sets had failed.[12][13] American Airlines Flight 102 1993 United States Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, United States Landing in stormy conditions with a crosswind, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10 began to weathervane, and the captain failed to use sufficient rudder control to regain the proper ground track. The plane departed the right side of the runway. All 202 occupants on board survived, with 2 passengers suffering serious injuries during the emergency evacuation. The aircraft was badly damaged and was written off.[14] China Airlines Flight 605 1993 British Hong Kong Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong To avoid a runway overrun and collision with the approach light system, the captain of a Boeing 747-400 deliberately veered the plane off the left side of the runway and into Victoria Harbour. No one was killed, but the plane was written off. Philippine Airlines Flight 137 1998 Philippines Bacolod City Domestic Airport, Bacolod, Philippines The Airbus A320-214 overran the runway due to pilot error and crashed into a residential area. There were no fatalities out of the 130 passengers and crew on board the aircraft, but three people on the ground were killed, and there were many injuries. The aircraft was written off as a loss.[15] Cubana de Aviación Flight 389 1998 Ecuador Mariscal Sucre International Airport, Quito, Ecuador The Tupolev Tu-154 with 91 occupants overran the runway after aborting takeoff due to pilot error. It hit an ILS tower and crashed into a residential area after hitting the airport perimeter wall. Seventy people on board the aircraft were killed, plus ten on the ground were killed, with several people injured. The aircraft was destroyed. LAPA Flight 3142 1999 Argentina Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, Buenos Aires, Argentina A Boeing 737-204C overran the runway after the pilots accidentally attempted to take off with the flaps retracted. The plane sped across a highway, striking a car, before smashing into construction equipment and bursting into flames, killing 63 of the 100 people aboard, as well as 2 people on the ground, and injuring 3 on the ground as well. American Airlines Flight 1420 1999 United States Little Rock National Airport, Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S. A McDonnell Douglas MD-82 overran the runway, crashed into an approach lighting structure, and broke apart, killing 11 of the 145 occupants. Southwest Airlines Flight 1455 2000 United States Bob Hope Airport, Burbank, California, U.S. A Boeing 737-300 landed too fast to stop on a wet runway, crashed through a perimeter wall and came to a stop near a gas station. Everyone survived, but due to structural damage the aircraft was written off. Lion Air Flight 538 2004 Indonesia Adisumarmo International Airport, Surakarta, Indonesia While landing in wet weather, the McDonnell Douglas MD-82 overran the runway due to hydroplaning and poor aircraft braking performance. After leaving the runway, the aircraft struck an embankment and split into two sections. 25 of the 153 people on board were killed. Southwest Airlines Flight 1248 2005 United States Midway International Airport, Chicago, Illinois, U.S. A Boeing 737-700 overran the runway while landing in a snowstorm and crashed into automobile traffic, killing one person on the ground. Air France Flight 358 2005 Canada Toronto Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada An Airbus A340 overran the end of the runway and came to rest in a ravine. 43 people were injured, and the aircraft was destroyed by a post-crash fire. S7 Airlines Flight 778 2006 Russia Irkutsk International Airport, Irkutsk, Russia The Airbus A310 overshot the runway and struck a concrete barrier at high speed, causing the aircraft to break apart and igniting a massive fire. 125 of the 203 occupants were killed. Comair Flight 5191 2006 United States Blue Grass Airport, Lexington, Kentucky, U.S. The Bombardier CRJ100 overshot the runway and struck a low earthen wall adjacent to a ditch, briefly leaving the ground, clipped airport perimeter fencing with its landing gear and smashed into trees, separating the fuselage and flight deck from the tail. 49 of the 50 occupants were killed. Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 2007 Indonesia Adisutjipto International Airport, Yogyakarta, Indonesia During landing, the Boeing 737-400 departed the runway, crashed into a rice field and burst into flames. Of the 140 occupants, 21 were killed. TAM Airlines Flight 3054 2007 Brazil São Paulo–Congonhas Airport, São Paulo, Brazil An Airbus A320 overran the runway while landing in rain, and crashed into a warehouse. All 187 people on board, and 12 people on the ground, were killed. Sriwijaya Air Flight 62 2008 Indonesia Sultan Thaha Airport, Jambi, Indonesia The Boeing 737-200 overran the runway due to a hydraulics malfunction and crashed into a house. There were no fatalities out of the 130 passengers and crew on board the aircraft, but one person inside the house was killed. The aircraft received substantial damage and was written off.[16] Sudan Airways Flight 109 2008 Sudan Khartoum International Airport, Khartoum, Sudan An Airbus A310-300 overran the runway and came to rest beyond the end of runway 36. A fire then erupted on the starboard side of the aircraft, communications between crew members were ineffective and hand luggage caused further delay in the evacuation process during evacuation of the aircraft. 30 out of 214 died as a result. American Airlines Flight 331 2009 Jamaica Norman Manley International Airport, Kingston, Jamaica A Boeing 737-800 landing in rain and a tailwind touched down more than 4,000 feet (1,200 m) from the start of the runway. Unable to stop in the remaining distance, it broke apart on rocks near the shoreline. No one was killed, but 85 people were injured and the plane was destroyed. Air India Express Flight 812 2010 India Mangalore International Airport, Mangalore, India The Boeing 737-800 overshot the end of the runway, went through a 300-foot (90 m) sand arrestor bed meant as excursion protection, then slid down a steep hillside. 158 of the 166 occupants were killed. Caribbean Airlines Flight 523 2011 Guyana Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Georgetown, Guyana A Boeing 737-800 overran the runway while attempting to land in rainy weather. All occupants survived, but the aircraft was irreparably damaged and seven people were injured. Red Wings Airlines Flight 9268 2012 Russia Vnukovo International Airport, Moscow, Russia A Tupolev TU-204-100 overran the runway while landing due to a braking system failure and pilot error running into a ditch and highway structures. The aircraft was destroyed, and five out of the eight aboard were killed. This accident was the first fatal accident of the TU-204 since its introduction in 1989. Congo A310 crash 2015 Democratic Republic of the Congo Mbuji-Mayi Airport, Mbuji-Mayi, DRC The A310 operating a cargo flight for the Congolese company Services Air overran the runway at Mbuji-Mayi Airport. None of the five people on board were killed or injured but eight people were killed on the ground.[17][18] Ameristar Charters Flight 9363 2017 United States Willow Run Airport, Ypsilanti, Michigan, U.S. The McDonnell Douglas MD-83 operating Flight 9363 suffered a runway excursion at Willow Run Airport, Michigan. All 110 passengers and 6 crew members survived, but one was injured. The aircraft was subsequently written off. Pegasus Airlines Flight 8622 2018 Turkey Trabzon Airport, Trabzon, Turkey A Boeing 737-800 ran off the left side of the runway during landing and slid down a cliff, stopping short of the water. No one was killed, but the aircraft was destroyed. Sky Lease Cargo Flight 4854 2018 Canada Halifax Stanfield International Airport, Nova Scotia, Canada A Boeing 747-400F overran Runway 14 while attempting a landing. Three crew members were injured, and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.[19] US-Bangla Airlines Flight 211 2018 Nepal Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, Nepal A Bombardier Q400 skidded off the runway while landing, crashed through the inner perimeter fence on the edge of the airport, and slid down the slope. The aircraft disintegrated into pieces as it slid down the rough slope before crashing into the football field and bursting into flames. 51 out of 71 occupants were killed Saha Airlines crash 2019 Iran Fath Air Base, Karaj, Alborz Province, Iran The last Boeing 707 in commercial use overran the runway after the flight crew mistook the Fath Air Base runway for the much longer one at Payam International Airport. 15 of the 16 people on board were killed. PenAir Flight 3296 2019 United States Unalaska Airport, Alaska, U.S. A Saab 2000 of PenAir operating as Alaska Airlines Flight 3296 suffered a runway excursion at Unalaska Airport after it landed at its destination airport. Of the 42 occupants, 1 passenger died and 11 more suffered injuries. The aircraft was subsequently written off. Pegasus Airlines Flight 2193 2020 Turkey Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, Istanbul, Turkey A Boeing 737-800 overran the runway while landing in heavy rain and high winds and broke into several pieces, killing 3 of the 183 people aboard. Air India Express Flight 1344 2020 India Calicut International Airport, Kerala, India A Boeing 737-800 overran the tabletop runway, skidding off the end of the runway and crashing into a gorge. The aircraft was carrying 190 people including 6 crew members. A total of 21 people, including both pilots, were killed in the crash. Korean Air Flight 631 2022 Philippines Mactan–Cebu International Airport, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines An Airbus A330-322 overran the runway while landing because of a hydraulic failure. Despite what reports described as a "terrifying close call," all 173 passengers and crew members survived without injuries. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and written off. P-8 Poseidon runway overrun 2023 United States Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, U.S. A Boeing P-8A Poseidon overran the runway and subsequently ditched in Kāneʻohe Bay while landing. All nine crew on board survived and the accident is currently under investigation. Air Serbia Flight 324 2024 Serbia Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, Belgrade, Serbia An Embraer 195 overran on takeoff and struck runway lights before becoming airborne. All 111 passengers and crew members survived without injuries. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and written off and was to be dismantled. Jeju Air Flight 2216 2024 South Korea Muan International Airport, South Jeolla, South Korea A Boeing 737-8AS suffered a runway excursion after attempting a belly landing, and then crashed into a concrete barrier. Of the 181 occupants onboard, 179 were killed.[20][21]