The Long And Short Of Landings

You wouldn’t think that two common landing-phase accidents at opposite ends of the runway would have same root cause and the same corrective technique. Landing short (impacting terrain or obstacles just prior to the runway) and landing long (touching down at a point where the aircraft cannot be stopped before running off the end of the runway) account for six percent of all landing accidents, according to AOPA’s Air Safety Institute. Remove loss of directional control on the runway from the picture, plus touchdowns prior to the runway, and those extending beyond the far end of the landing surface account for almost one-fifth of the remaining reports.

Key Takeaways:

• Landing short and landing long, common landing phase accidents, share a root cause in poor airspeed control, glidepath management, and incorrect use of a runway aiming point.
• Correctly choosing and maintaining a fixed aiming point on the runway, combined with precise airspeed control, is the primary corrective technique for avoiding both types of landing errors.
• A stabilized approach, characterized by the correct aircraft configuration, airspeed, glidepath, and centerline alignment, is paramount for a safe and accurate landing.
• Pilots should be prepared to execute a go-around if critical approach parameters are not met, especially when close to the runway, rather than attempting to "salvage" an unstable or unmanaged approach.

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