	Number and Rate of Incursions Show Upward Trend

Runway safety is a longstanding major aviation safety concern; prevention  of runway incursions, which are precursors to aviation accidents, has been  on NTSB’s list of most wanted transportation improvements since 1990  because runway collisions can be catastrophic. Recent data indicate that  runway incursions are growing and may become even more numerous as  the volume of air traffic increases. The number and rate of incursions  declined from a peak in fiscal year 2001 and remained relatively constant  for the next 5 years. However, from fiscal years 2006 through 2007, the  number and rate of incursions increased by 12 percent and nearly regained  the 2001 peak (see fig. Moreover, the number and rate of serious incursions—where collisions  were narrowly or barely avoided—increased substantially during the first  quarter of fiscal year 2008, compared to the same quarter in fiscal year  2007. Challenges Remain Despite Numerous Efforts to Address Runway Safety

FAA, airports, and airlines have taken steps to address runway safety, but  the lack of leadership and coordination, technology challenges, lack of  data, and human factors-related issues impede further progress. To  improve runway safety, FAA has deployed and tested technology designed  to prevent runway collisions; promoted changes in airport layout,  markings, signage, and lighting; and provided training for pilots and air  traffic controllers. Until recently, the office did not have a  permanent director for the previous 2 years and staffing levels declined. In our November 2007 report, we also  found that FAA had not updated its national runway safety plan since  2002, despite agency policy that such a plan be prepared every 2 to 3 years. The lack of an updated plan resulted in uncoordinated runway safety  efforts by individual FAA offices. The deployment of surface surveillance technology to airports is a major  part of FAA’s strategy to improve runway safety, but it has presented  challenges. Both systems are  designed to provide controllers with alerts when they detect a possible  collision on the ground. FAA lacks reliable runway safety data and the mechanisms to ensure that  the data are complete. FAA plans to start a nonpunitive,  confidential, voluntary program for air traffic controllers similar to a  program that FAA has already established for pilots and others in the  aviation community. The new program will enable air traffic controllers to  report anything that they perceive could contribute to safety risks in the  national airspace system. However, FAA has not indicated when such a program would  be implemented. However, air traffic  controller fatigue, which may result from regularly working overtime,  continues to be a human factors issue affecting runway safety. Experts we surveyed indicated that the actions that FAA could take with  the greatest potential to prevent runway incursions, considering costs,  technological feasibility, and operational changes, were measures to  provide information or alerts directly to pilots. Recommendations

In our November 2007 report, we recommended that FAA (1) prepare a  new national runway safety plan, (2) develop an implementation schedule  for establishing a nonpunitive voluntary safety reporting program for air  traffic controllers, and (3) develop a mitigation plan for addressing  controller overtime.
Why GAO Did This Study

While aviation accidents in the United States are relatively infrequent, recent incidents have heightened concerns about safety on airport runways. As the nation's aviation system becomes more crowded every day, increased congestion at airports may exacerbate ground safety concerns. This statement discusses (1) the trends in runway incursions, (2) what FAA has done to improve runway safety, and (3) what more could be done. This statement is based on GAO's November 2007 report issued to this committee on runway safety. GAO's work on that report included surveying experts on the causes of runway incidents and accidents and the effectiveness of measures to address them, reviewing safety data, and interviewing agency and industry officials. This statement also contains information from FAA on recent incursions and actions taken since November 2007.

What GAO Found

Recent data indicate that runway incursions, which are precursors to aviation accidents, are growing. Although the number and rate of incursions declined after reaching a peak in fiscal year 2001 and remained relatively constant for the next 5 years, they show a recent upward trend. From fiscal year 2006 through fiscal year 2007, the number and rate of incursions increased by 12 percent and both were nearly as high as their 2001 peak. Furthermore, the number of serious incursions--where collisions are narrowly or barely avoided--increased from 2 during the first quarter of fiscal year 2007 to 10 during the same quarter in fiscal year 2008. FAA has taken steps to address runway safety, but further progress has been impeded by the lack of leadership and coordination, technology challenges, lack of data, and human factors-related issues. FAA's actions have included deploying and testing technology designed to prevent runway collisions and promoting changes in airport layout, markings, signage, and lighting. However, until recently, FAA's Office of Runway Safety did not have a permanent director. Also, FAA has not updated its national runway safety plan since 2002, despite agency policy that such a plan be prepared every 2 to 3 years, resulting in uncoordinated efforts within the agency. Moreover, runway safety technology currently being installed, which is designed to provide air traffic controllers with the position and identification of aircraft on the ground and alerts of potential collisions, is behind schedule and experiencing cost increases and operational difficulties with its alerting function. FAA also lacks reliable runway safety data and the mechanisms to ensure that the data are complete. Furthermore, air traffic controller fatigue, which may result from regularly working overtime, continues to be a matter of concern for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and others. FAA could take additional measures to improve runway safety. These measures include implementing GAO's recommendations to prepare a new national runway safety plan, address controller overtime and fatigue, and start a nonpunitive, confidential, voluntary program for air traffic controllers to report safety risks in the national airspace system, which would be similar to a program that FAA has already established for pilots and others in the aviation community. Such a program could help the agency to understand the causes and circumstances regarding runway safety incidents. Additional improvements, suggested by experts and NTSB, include developing and deploying technology to provide alerts directly to pilots.