RUNWAY EXCURSION

What is Runway Excursion?

An event in which an aircraft veers off or overruns the runway surface during either
take-off or landing.
Veer-Off: Excursion in which an aircraft departs the side of a runway
Overrun: A runway excursion in which an aircraft departs the end of a runway
Runway excursions lead to more runway accidents than all the other causes combined.

What causes a Runway Excursion?

There are many factors that may cause a runway excursion, including runway
contamination, adverse weather conditions, mechanical failure, pilot error and unstable
approaches

1. A departing aircraft fails to get airborne before end of the runway due to:

• Inappropriate aircraft handling technique; or,

• Decision to reject a take-off taken at a speed exceeding V1; or,
• Aircraft weight exceeds maximum for prevailing conditions; or,
• Reported runway conditions differing from actual conditions; or,
• Aircraft weight and/or trim used for setting thrust/power or pitch trim position is
wrong; or,
• Aircraft system malfunction (e.g. nose wheel steering or engine malfunction)
2. A landing aircraft is unable to stop before end of runway due to:

• Touch-down speed is excessive; or,

• Threshold crossing height is too high and/or the touchdown point is beyond the
normal touch down zone; or,
• Aircraft weight exceeds maximum for prevailing conditions; or,
• Reported wind velocity or runway surface conditions differ from actual conditions;
or,
• Aircraft system on which landing performance is predicated such as brakes or
spoilers malfunctions; or,
• Significant aquaplaning occurs.

3. An aircraft landing or taking off departs the side of the runway due to:
▪ Inappropriate aircraft handling technique; or,

▪ Wind Velocity exceeds the maximum specified AFM limitations for crosswind
component or the maximum demonstrated crosswind or
▪ Aircraft malfunction (e.g. engine failure or low power, asymmetric brake or spoiler
failure, nose-wheel steering failure); or,
• Loss of directional control due to the effects of aquaplaning
IATA SAFETY DATA

Following is the data collected by IATA for the year 2009-2014

1. Amongst the different accidents recorded by IATA, 23% of the accidents
recorded were because of Runway/ Taxiway Excursion

2. And amongst the runway safety accidents, runway excursion accounts for the
highest.
3. Following figure an overview of the frequency of occurrence of the different
types of runway excursions for the different flight phases. Except for 2010, Veer
Off accounts for the highest reason. Table 4 also shows that runway excursions
occurred most often during the landing phase of flight.

4.
What are the factors leading to Runway Excursion?
( as given by IATA)

1. Latent Conditions
Regulatory Oversight 25%
Safety Management 21%
Flight Operations 19%
Flight Ops: Training Systems 18%

Flight Ops : SOP’s & Checking 7%

2. Environmental Threats
Meteorology 36%
Wind/Windshear/Gusty Wind 23%
Airport Facilities 18%
Ground based navaid
13%
malfunction
Navaids 13%

4. Airline Threats
Aircraft Malfunction 10%
Brakes 3%
Engine Failure/ Power plant
3%
malfunction
Gear / Tire 3%
Other 2%
5. Errors ( related to…)
Manual Handling/ Flight
42%
Controls
SOP Adherence 23%
Intentional 16%
Failure to Go Around after
15%
destabilized approach
Unintentional 7%

6. Undesired Aircraft States

Long/ floated/ bounced/ firm/
42%
offcentre/ crabbed landing
Vertical / Lateral / Speed
19%
Deviation
Unstable Approach 15%
Continued Landing after unstable
14%
approach
Operations outside aircraft
9%
limitations

The main contributing factors in Latent Conditions, were deficiencies in the

implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) at the operator, insufficient
regulatory oversight, and weak training standards in flight operations.

Events outside of the influence of the flight crew that have the potential to reduce
the safety margins of a flight are considered to be threats. These require crew
attention and management to ensure that margins of safety are maintained.
If a threat is not managed correctly it can lead to an error. These are flight crew
deviations from organizational expectations or crew intentions. Failure to adhere to
 SOP by flight crew, general manual handling of the aircraft and failure to go
around after an unstable approach were identified as common contributing factors.

Mismanaged errors can lead to additional errors and/or undesired aircraft states;
flight crew-induced states that clearly reduce safety margins. Undesired aircraft
states are still recoverable.

Data from

www.flightsafety.org

Who are the people involved and what role should they play?
1. Aircraft Manufacturers
They need to ensure:-
• Safe/reliable aircraft
• Data and procedures for normal operations
 • Data and procedures for non- normal operations

2. Operators - Aircrew & Management

Operators should emphasize and train for proper execution of RTO

decision. Training should emphasize recognition of takeoff rejection issues-
sudden loss or degradation of thrust, tire and other mechanical failures, flap and
spoiler configuration issues
Training should emphasize directional control during deceleration, stabilized
approach criteria and go –around policy.
CRM and adherence to SOPs are critical in time critical situations such as
RTOs. Management and aircrews should mutually develop SOPs. SOPs should be
regularly reviewed and updated by a management and aircrew team
Aircrews should use a runway excursion risk awareness tool to increase their
awareness of the runway excursion risks involved with each landing
Establishing and adhering to standard operating procedures (SOPs) will
enhance flight crew decision making and reduce the risk of runway
excursions

3. Airports
• Airport design
• Lighting
• Approach aids (e.g. ILS, VASI, PAPI)
• Runway design (crown, grooved, porous)
• Runway markings and signage
• Runway clearing/cleaning
• Runway condition measurement
• Runway end safety areas
 •

4. ATC
Inform the pilot what to expect regarding runway assignment, type of approach and
descent/speed restrictions so the proper planning and execution can be conducted.
Ensure the runway assignment is appropriate for the wind. Excessive tailwinds or
crosswinds can lead to unstable approaches, and especially when the runway is wet or
contaminated, are often associated with runway excursions.
Issue accurate and timely information related to weather conditions, wind and
airport/runway conditions.
Be responsive to pilot requests, especially those involving speed assignments,
descent requests or runway/approach assignments.
Issue appropriate and accurate track mile information from the airport or
approach fix in a timely manner, as required.
Avoid close-in, last second runway changes
Be alert for signs of an unstable approach. For example, if an aircraft is above the
glide slope altitude at the final approach fix, then an unstable approach is likely.
Combinations of risk factors (such as abnormal winds and contaminated
runways or unstable approaches and thrust reverser issues) have an undesirable
synergistic effect on the risk of runway excursions. Airports and controllers should
insure that accurate winds for landing are provided to the aircrew in a timely manner.

5. Regulators
• Provide appropriate and professional oversight
• Publish the Stabilized approach requirements and ensure Airlines are monitoring
via a FCOCA program
• Provide the relevant Regulations to guide the Aviation industry
• Perform Cockpit Surveillance check on a random basis

Good Read:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/2013/aair/ao-2013-114/
References:-
▪ www.skybrary.aero
▪ https://www.canso.org/safety
▪ www.faa.gov
▪ www.iata.org
▪ www.flightsafety.org