The number of runway excursion and ground collision accidents and serious incidents at Europe’s airports increased in 2013 from the previous year, but the number of ramp-related accidents declined, according to the European Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA’s) recently released Annual Safety Review 2013. Data in the review cover the 28 European Union member states plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Airports included in the data are all open to public use, serve commercial transport, provide instrument approach or departure procedures, and have paved runways of 800 m (2,625 ft) or more or exclusively serve helicopters.
EASA airports saw 32 runway excursion accidents and serious incidents last year, which is up from 20 in 2012 and more than in any other year in the past five years (Figure 1). Of 2013’s 32 excursions, 20 were accidents, as defined in International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 13, Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation…
