Runway Incursions
- What is a Runway Incursion?
- Any occurrence at an aerodrome involving the incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take off of aircraft.
- What is a Surface Incident?
- A surface incident is an unauthorized or unapproved movement within the designated movement area (excluding runway incursions) or an occurrence in that same area associated with the operation of an aircraft that affects or could affect the safety of flight.
- There are four categories of runway incursions:
- Category A is a serious incident in which a collision was narrowly avoided.
- Category B is an incident in which separation decreases and there is a significant potential for collision, which may result in a time critical corrective/evasive response to avoid a collision.
- Category C is an incident characterized by ample time and/or distance to avoid a collision.
- Category D is an incident that meets the definition of runway incursion such as incorrect presence of a single vehicle/person/aircraft on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take-off of aircraft but with no immediate safety consequences.
Sources of Runway Incursions
| Operational Incidents |
Pilot Deviations |
Vehicle/Pedestrian Deviations |
| Action of an Air Traffic Controller that results in: Less than required minimum separation between 2 or more aircraft, or between an aircraft and obstacles, (vehicles, equipment, personnel on runways) or Clearing an aircraft to take off or land on a closed runway |
Action of a pilot that violates any Federal Aviation Regulation Example: a pilot crosses a runway without a clearance while enroute to an airport gate |
Pedestrians or vehicles entering any portion of the airport movement areas (runways/taxiways) without authorization from air traffic control |
Runway Incursion Severity
Runway Incursion Severity
| Available Reaction Time |
Evasive of Corrective Action |
Environmental Conditions |
Speed of Aircraft and/or Vehicle |
Proximity of Aircraft and/or Vehicle |
Runway Incursion Categories
| Category D |
Category C |
Category B |
Category A |
Accident |
| Incident that meets the definition of runway incursion such as incorrect presence of a single vehicle/person/aircraft on the protected area of a surface designated for the landing and take-off of aircraft but with no immediate safety consequences. |
An incident characterized by ample time and/or distance to avoid a collision. |
An incident in which separation decreases and there is a significant potential for collision, which may result in a time critical corrective/ evasive response to avoid a collision. |
A serious incident in which a collision was narrowly avoided. |
An incursion that resulted in a collision |
Last updated: Thursday, October 13, 2022
