Still concerned about landing overrun accidents, the FAA published a new Advisory Circular (91-79) on November 6 to advise pilots and operators about how to avoid such mishaps. While the circular is not mandatory, the FAA recommends that commercial and Part 91 business jet operators incorporate the material into their operations manuals or appropriate documents such as standard operating procedures (SOPs). The agency is also planning to form an aviation rulemaking committee that will make recommendations for a requirement that pilots assess landing-distance performance before landing.
Overruns account for about 10 incidents and accidents per year, according to FAA and NTSB numbers. Yet the FAA’s recent focus on the subject stems from one particular overrun–the accident involving a Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 on Dec. 8, 2005, at Chicago Midway International Airport. The probable cause, according to the NTSB, “was the pilots’ failure to use available reverse thrust in a timely manner to safely slow or stop the airplane after landing, which resulted in a runway overrun. This failure occurred because the pilots’ first experience and lack of familiarity with the airplane’s autobrake system distracted them from thrust reverser usage during the challenging landing.”
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