NTSB Continues Emphasis on Runway Incidents

With runway incursions at the center of the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) radar, operators must be vigilant in ensuring runway safety, especially after a recent incident at Washington Dulles International Airport. The agency is now investigating an incident involving an event taking off from a closed runway at Dulles. The incident occurred on September 12 at 3:30 am, when a Learjet 35 took off from runway 19R despite the fact runway lights were off because it had closed earlier in the evening for surveying. The incident was eerily similar to the Comair accident 13 months ago at Louisville, Ky., which killed 49.
The incident came shortly after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced it was adopting the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) definition for a runway incursion. The classification of the most serious runway incursions, Categories A and B, remains unchanged. The total number of Category A and B incursions has fallen from 53 in fiscal year 2001 to 31 in FY 2006. A and B incursions are on track for another drop in FY 2007, with 24 recorded through Sept. 9.
The biggest difference between the two definitions is that ICAO defines a runway incursion as any unauthorized intrusion onto a runway, regardless of whether or not an aircraft presents a potential conflict. For the FAA, an incident without a potential conflict — such as an unauthorized aircraft crossing an empty runway — was defined as a “surface incident” and not a runway incursion. The new definition means that some incidents formerly classified as surface incidents will now be classified as C or D category runway incursions, which are low-risk incidents with ample time and/or distance to avoid a collision. The result will inevitably mean that “runway incursions” will increase.
The FAA helped ICAO develop its definition, which was adopted in November 2005. Before that definition was developed, countries around the world used at least 20 different definitions for a runway incursion.
While most incursions involve commercial equipment, the increase in business aviation has forced the NTSB to include their operations in the effort to reduce or eliminate such problems. Related Story
In the latest incident, the tower controller instructed the aircraft to taxi into position and hold, an then cleared it for takeoff. The departure controller at Potomac Terminal Radar Approach Control, located in Warrenton, Virginia, noticed the radar target depart runway 19R and asked the tower controller if the runway was open, and was told no.
The closure was advertised on the automated terminal information service and the tower controller placed an X on the tower's ground radar display as a reminder of the
closure. The closure also was annotated on the tower status display. There were no injuries or damage to the aircraft.
At the time of the incident, there was one tower controller in the cab; the second controller assigned to the shift was on break. This is in direct contradiction to NTSB recommendations and FAA policy that controllers should not go solo when on duty. In the fatal Comair accident there was a single controller on duty for the early-morning flight.
The FAA has classified the Dulles incident as an operational error and it is considered a runway incursion as defined by ICAO.