Runway Incursion Database

 

The FAA Office of Runway Safety is responsible for determining whether an occurrence

at an aerodrome is a runway incursion and/or surface incident. Only surface events at

airports with an operating Airport Traffic Control Tower are recorded and classified as

runway incursions and surface incidents. The FAA Air Traffic Organization does not

control aircraft movement where an ATCT is not present. Surface events are reported by

the Airport Traffic Control Tower where the event occurred. FAA directives provide the

guidance and requirements for reporting these events.

 

Runway incursions are assessed by the Office of Runway Safety and classified by the

severity of the event. In fiscal year 2008, the FAA adopted the ICAO definition for a

runway incursion as well as the ICAO severity category definitions.

 

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.

 

Runway The Severity Classifications are:

 

Accident. - An incursion that results in a collision. For the purposes of tracking

incursion performance, an accident will be treated as a Category A runway

incursion.

 

Category A. - A serious incident in which a collision was narrowly avoided.

 

Category B. - 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. - An incident characterized by ample time and/or distance to avoid a

collision.

 

Category D. - An incident that meets the definition of a 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 of aircraft but with no

immediate safety consequences.

 

Category E. - An incident in which insufficient or conflicting evidence of the

event precludes assigning another category.

 

 

Please refer to FAA Order 7050.1 for further information.