Runway Risk: How to Cut the Hazards

Friday, September 19, 2014 at 07:12 PM ET

Verified

** EMAS beds are being installed at the runway ends
of scores of U.S. airports. Made of blocks of
lightweight, crushable cement, they are designed to
safely stop airplanes that overrun runways.**

Key Takeaways:

Runway excursions are a significant and often fatal aviation safety problem, frequently stemming from inadequate pilot training for rare events and critical errors during takeoff or landing.
Common causes include excessive speed, strong winds, and unstabilized approaches, with a prevalent issue being pilots' failure to execute timely go-arounds when warranted.
Mitigation strategies emphasize enhanced pilot decision-making, comprehensive pre-flight planning, appropriate responses to ATC clearances, and the implementation of airport safety technologies like Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) beds.

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On Sept. 29, 2013, a Cessna Citation CJ2 landing at Santa Monica Airport near Los Angeles suddenly veered off the runway and crashed through a hangar, bursting into flames and killing all aboard.

Three months later, on Jan. 5, 2014, the pilots of a Challenger 601 landing with a strong, gusting tailwind in Aspen, Colorado, lost control and crashed next to the runway, killing one of the crew members and critically injuring two others.