Aviation Attorneys National News

Runway Incursions

For Release on Delivery        Federal Aviation Administration
Expected at
2:00 pm
Tuesday
June 26, 2001
Report Number:  CC-2001-224

                               Further Actions Are Needed to
                               Reduce Runway Incursions

                                 Statement of
                                 The Honorable Kenneth M. Mead
                                 Inspector General
                                 U.S. Department of Transportation

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Subcommittee:

We appreciate the opportunity to discuss runway incursions - a significant
safety issue.  Runway incursions are incidents on the runway that create a
collision hazard, some with very serious consequences.   Our testimony is
based on our report of this date.  This is our third report on this safety issue
since 1998.  Reducing runway incursions has been on the National
Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) annual "Most Wanted" list of
transportation safety improvements since 1990.

Just last month a serious runway incursion happened at Dallas-Fort Worth
International Airport.  A cargo plane mistakenly taxied onto an active runway
directly in the path of an American Airlines jet, with 60 passengers onboard,
rolling down the runway.   The American Airlines jet flew over the cargo plane
missing it by less than 100 feet.   Judging by close calls such as this incident,
we have been extremely fortunate that runway incursions have not resulted in a
tragic accident involving extensive loss of life.

For the past several years, FAA has placed substantial management focus on
reducing runway incursions.  Despite this focus, the number of runway
incursions continues to increase year after year.  Last year there were
431 runway incursions, an average of more than one a day.  Our work found
that two significant factors have constrained FAA's progress.  First, FAA has
not done enough to provide technologies to airports with continued runway
incursion problems.  Second, the Runway Safety Program Director has little
authority to ensure that initiatives undertaken by employees responsible for
runway safety are completed.

FAA issued its Runway Safety Report last week.  In the report, FAA cited that
the number of runway incursions in 2000 increased by 110 over the previous
year.   FAA also stated that it was encouraged that 81 percent of the runway
incursions that occurred over the past 4 years were relatively minor and posed
little chance of a collision.

This observation should not obscure the fact that the remaining 19 percent, or
256, runway incursions involved close calls.  Close calls are those runway
incursions that barely avoid a collision or pose a significant potential for a
collision.  We are concerned that close calls have not gone down.  It is
important to recognize that over the last 4 years, 161, or 63 percent of the close
calls, involved at least one commercial aircraft, where the potential loss of life
is much greater.

   Read More www.oig.dot.gov

Contact an Aviation Attorney near you to find out more about your legal rights.