Runway Incursion Avoidance
An introduction to
Objective
Purpose
To ensure the applicant learns the importance of runway incursion avoidance and the procedures that pilots can employ to prevent them from occurring.
On December 6, 1999, two airliners in Providence, Rhode Island came close to a collision on the runway which would have claimed hundreds of lives. This near-collision was caused by a runway incursion, due to the pilots’ uncertainty about their position on the airport. When pilots and air traffic controllers are unsure of, or are careless about their position on the airport, and especially on runways, disasters can happen. This lesson introduces pilots to the dangers of runway incursion
What is a Runway Incursion?
Simply put, a runway incursion occurs any time an airplane (or ground vehicle) enters a runway, or continues on a runway in a manner for which they were not cleared.
Accidentally taxiing past a hold line into a runway area, or taxiing beyond a hold line on a runway into an intersecting runway, or making a wrong turn into a runway area are all runway incursions
Different Levels of Runway Incursions
So what is the best level of Runway Incursion?
NONE!!!!!
What are the dangers of Runway Incursions?
On January 2nd, 2024 a landing Japan Airline passenger flight collided with a Dash 8 operated by the coast guard after the Dash 8 improperly taxied onto the active runway.
Pilots cause 65% of runway incursions (half by GA pilots).
Common causes include lack of familiarity with the airport, not following ATC instructions, and not following standard procedures
The resulting crash claimed the lives of 5 of the 6 crew onboard the Dash 8
What Other Challenges Lead to Runway Incursions?
Airplanes may be difficult to steer or maneuver while taxiing. There is no ability to move in reverse, as a car might, and wide wingspans or long fuselage and tail sections can cause parts of the airplane to encroach on runway areas even if the rest of the airplane is not.
Taxiways often have many intersecting taxiways, runways, aprons, etc. Pilots must maintain situational awareness of their position on the airport at all times. Airplanes may have poor outside ground visibility, making it difficult to see taxiway and runway signs and markings.
In addition to their own position, pilots should maintain a mental picture of where other airplanes and vehicles are moving on the airport environment.
How can I tell where the Runway is?
Hold Lines! Hold lines are the primary marking that indicates the boundaries of runways or other protected areas.
Often called hold short lines, they are depicted on the pavement as two solid and two dashed lines.
Crossing from the dashed lines to the solid lines requires no clearance (as in, exiting a runway area), however, crossing from the solid lines to the dashed lines always requires explicit ATC clearance! (At towered airports)
Enhanced Taxiway Centerline
Some busy airports have enhanced taxiway centerlines to help alert pilots they are are approaching the runway threshold.
These marking are dashed lines on either side of the taxi center line for 150 feet leading up to the runway threshold.
What Are Other Runway Location Cues?
Signage - One of the most important airport signs that pilots should keep watch for is the runway hold position sign. The red color of the sign is used only for important hold signs on airports, and should always be a clue that there is a hold line nearby.
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions with a Preflight?
Preventing Runway Incursions starts with flight planning.
Use Airport Diagrams and Chart Supplements to familiarize yourself with the Airport Environment at both your departure and arrival airport. Have a general idea of where the ramp is in relation to the possible runways being used.
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions with a Preflight?
Familiarize yourself with any Airport Hot Spots
Hot Spots - Airport hot spots are areas where other pilots (or vehicles) have commonly made mistakes leading to runway incursions. They are often confusing or irregularly shaped hold lines or intersections, and pilots should be extra vigilant for the presence of hold lines or runway identifier signs in these locations.
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions While in the Plane?
Sterile Cockpit - When preparing to depart, the taxi, takeoff, and climb phases of the flight are critical and contain many hazards.
Therefore, pilots should maintain a sterile cockpit until cruise flight in order to maintain focus and limit distractions and minimize non-essential conversations.
Turn off/silence cell phones, do not text, do not become distracted by Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs), ask passengers to refrain from talking.
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions while Taxiing?
When operating at towered airports, pilots must first obtain a taxi clearance from ATC. A taxi clearance will include a destination, and a route that the pilot should take to get there.
Before taxi for takeoff, contact the Ground controller and ask for clearance to taxi for departure before entering any movement areas. Pilots are required to read back taxi or hold short clearances in full, including their callsign and any runways given by ATC.
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions while Taxiing?
There are several techniques pilots can use to minimize confusion about taxi instructions
4R > D > Runup
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions while Taxiing?
When approaching a runway hold line, pilots should refer to their taxi clearance and confirm to themselves that they are in fact cleared to cross
4L > D > D1 > X 4R @ D1> A >HS 4L
Example: “I am approaching runway 4R, I have been cleared to cross 4R at Delta1”
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions while Taxiing?
Confirm/Always Be Sure - Most importantly, if any uncertainty exists about the taxi clearance or the airplane’s position on the runway or airport, the pilot must clarify the instructions with ATC.
Uncertainty about taxi instructions or the position of airplanes in relation to runways and taxiways is extremely dangerous and can lead to disastrous results. If in doubt, ask again!
Pilots can also ask for progressive taxi instructions, where ATC will provide turn-by-turn guidance.
Confirmation and Expectation Bias
It is critical that pilots actively listen to their taxi instructions and not fall prey to confirmation or expectation bias.
These biases can lead pilots to hear what they are expecting to hear, rather than what was actually said.
Expectation Bias | Confirmation Bias |
At Falcon Field, Runway 4s are typically used in the morning and 22s the afternoon. A student who normally flies in the morning is used to using 4s. They were cleared to taxi to Runway 22, read back correctly but turned and headed to the wrong runway. | A student who normally flies in the morning is used to using 4s. They were cleared to taxi to Runway 22, they saw someone Taxiing towards runway 4 and decided to follow them. |
Preventing Runway Incursions while Taxiing at a Non Towered Airport
Pilots should maintain situational awareness about the position of other airplanes and vehicles on runways and taxiways, and always self-announce taxi intentions and the intention to enter a runway.
Just as with a towered airport, pilots should consult the airport diagram before taxi, takeoff, and landing to be sure that they know the route they will use to enter and exit the runway.
Because no explicit takeoff or landing clearances are available at non-towered airports, pilots must also visually confirm that the runway and final approach are clear before entering any runways.
Taxi Safety Techniques
Pilots can enhance safety by always visually confirming that a runway (and final approaches) are clear before crossing or entering any runway surface, whether cleared or not. Other techniques include:
During taxi operations, avoid unnecessary tasks (e.g. programming the GPS, working on EFB, etc.) so that their full attention can be devoted to taxiing and maintaining situational awareness.
How Can I Help Prevent Runway Incursions while Landing?
Many runway incursions actually occur after landing, when pilots let their guard down and may taxi into other nearby runway areas.
Pilots should always brief the expected runway exit before landing, especially if there are nearby runways.
When two runways are nearby, or exiting the runway will put the airplane near another runway, pilots should be especially vigilant that they cross only the correct hold line when exiting the runway.
In the case of exiting between parallel runways, the available taxi area for runway exit may be quite small, and the danger of a runway incursion is higher. Always brief this potential hazard before landing!
Land and Hold Short Operations
(LAHSO)
ATC at some airports may offer so-called “LAHSO” (Land And Hold Short Operations) when there are intersecting runways.
A LAHSO clearance means that a pilot must come to a complete stop before an indicated spot on the runway before crossing the runway environment of the intersecting runway.
Pilots must explicitly accept (and may reject) a LAHSO clearance, however if a LAHSO clearance is accepted, pilots should explicitly brief the landing and be vigilant that they do not rollout past the LAHSO line during landing.
(Info about LAHSO including available stopping distance is available in the Chart Supplement)
Challenges of Night and Low-Visibility Operations
When operating at night, or in low visibility conditions, it is more difficult to distinguish taxiway markings, signs, and identify other aircraft.
Therefore, the potential for ATC to mis-identify aircraft (issue the right instructions to the wrong aircraft) is higher, and pilots must be extra vigilant about maintaining situational awareness of their own position, as well as that of other airplanes and vehicles.
If an instruction does not make sense, and goes against what was planned or briefed, ask for clarification from ATC!
Runway Status Lights
Runway Status Lights are a fully automated system that provides runway status information to pilots and surface vehicle operators to clearly indicate when it is unsafe to enter, cross, takeoff from, or land on a runway.
The RWSL system processes information from surveillance systems and activates Runway Entrance Lights (REL) and Takeoff Hold Lights (THL), in accordance with the position and velocity of the detected surface traffic and approach traffic.
This provides an additional layer of safety that does not depend on human Air Traffic Controllers to prevent runway incursions
Additional Resources