Running Off The End

Richard L. Collins

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at 08:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

Runway overruns, exemplified by the Chicago Midway incident, frequently result from a combination of tailwinds, contaminated surfaces (snow/ice), and excessive approach speeds, which collectively increase required landing distance beyond initial calculations.
Pilots must meticulously calculate landing distance, understanding that factors like tailwinds and runway contamination drastically extend requirements, and utilize tools like GPS to anticipate changing groundspeeds due to wind shear.
A critical "500-foot check" is essential for a go/no-go decision, evaluating all landing parameters (speed, wind, runway conditions) to prevent overruns; if committed, prioritize stopping over attempting a go-around on insufficient runway.
Effective braking techniques, including a pre-landing brake check and understanding the aircraft-specific impact of aerodynamic braking and flap retraction, are crucial for stopping safely within the available runway.

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Whenever there is an accident, pilots should get into that old “learning from events” mode. The recent 737 runway overrun at Chicago Midway created a lot of food for thought.

In a preliminary NTSB report, it was noted that the dispatchers and the crew had calculated that Runway 31C at Midway was okay for landing even though it was snow covered and there was a downwind component of almost 10 knots before the airplane landed.