Location of Aircraft Accidents/Incidents Relative to Runways

The location of an aircraft involved in an accident or incident may be documented by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration during the course of their investigation. When available, it will appear in the
record of the individual investigation. However, this location information is not available from either of these agencies in a summary form.

This study was undertaken to compile in one document the location relative to the runway of these accidents/incidents for aircraft involved in commercial air transportation in the United States. The study examined accidents/incidents that occurred from 1978 to 1987. Since it is intended that this information will be used mainly to make decisions on individual airports, no attempt was made to reach conclusions or make recommendations based on the data.

The accidents/incidents used for this study were categorized as undershoots, landings off the runway, veeroffs, overruns, and other in the vicinity of the airport. The aircraft location was recorded in terms of the distance along the runway centerline or extended centerline (X distance) and the perpendicular distance from the centerline or extended centerline (Y distance).