Poor condition of runway surfaces as a cause of plane crashes
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Joined: Mar 2024
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From: Katowice
Poor condition of runway surfaces as a cause of plane crashes
Hello everyone !
I am currently writing my master's thesis about construction and design of runways. In my thesis, I wanted to add a chapter about plane crashes and accidents caused by the poor condition of runway surfaces or their damage, or where the condition of the runway had an impact on the accident, but unfortunately I cannot find information about such incidents. That's why I'm asking here if you have heard or know about such cases. Thanks in advance for your answers.
I am currently writing my master's thesis about construction and design of runways. In my thesis, I wanted to add a chapter about plane crashes and accidents caused by the poor condition of runway surfaces or their damage, or where the condition of the runway had an impact on the accident, but unfortunately I cannot find information about such incidents. That's why I'm asking here if you have heard or know about such cases. Thanks in advance for your answers.
Joined: Jul 2010
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From: Kiribati
Maybe you could start with "The Munich Disaster", which happened on the 6th of February 1958 due to unawareness of the effects on contaminants (water, hail, snow, even invasion of snails on the runway surface) on runways for aircraft operation. This case was due to high depth of snow deposit. Till then, there was no experience on those issues, apart from a case happened in winter 1948/49 at Vancouver, but this information didn't spread generally in the aviation world. There is a a book on the Munich disaster and it might be useful going through it (or on internet summaries). I did myself a research on the Canadian case (the first accident where the air community started to get awareness of the danger of contaminants on runways) which luckily didn't cost lives, getting in touch with several aviation agencies in Canada but I had no luck. Another accident with standing water on runway as a heavy contributing factor to that disaster happened at Congonhas airport in San Paulo, Brasil, in July 2007.
Said that, I would suggest to search the Net to find all those cases (unfortunately quite a lot) looking for air accidents due to runways contamination.
Best luck for your search and your studies 👍👋
Said that, I would suggest to search the Net to find all those cases (unfortunately quite a lot) looking for air accidents due to runways contamination.
Best luck for your search and your studies 👍👋
Last edited by capricorn23; 13th March 2024 at 21:39.
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: UK
https://assets.publishing.service.go...MONM_12-92.pdf - this one may be of interest?
Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Australia
Air France Concorde 25 July 2000 - during the takeoff roll may have hit an uneven section of runway (prior to running over metal strip) where a newer section/extension met with the original section of runway.
RAAF F-111 bomber 29 August 1979 - crew ejected after engines surged on takeoff due to water ingestion from the nose gear tyres on a very wet runway.
Fokker 100 09 January 2020 - runway overrun on landing in wet conditions. Amongst other contributing factors was the runway surface requiring maintenance (presumably for rubber deposits or other contaminants that would reduce braking friction) which was not done prior to the overrun.
RAAF F-111 bomber 29 August 1979 - crew ejected after engines surged on takeoff due to water ingestion from the nose gear tyres on a very wet runway.
Fokker 100 09 January 2020 - runway overrun on landing in wet conditions. Amongst other contributing factors was the runway surface requiring maintenance (presumably for rubber deposits or other contaminants that would reduce braking friction) which was not done prior to the overrun.
Joined: May 2016
Aviation Qualifications: PPL
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From: Sunshine Coast
You might want to have a look at this 2012 presentation - https://www.icao.int/SAM/Documents/I...aintenance.pdf
And this 2016 article - https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathma...tic-tia-runway
And this 2016 article - https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathma...tic-tia-runway
Joined: Oct 2019
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From: USA
Like this one? https://cargolaw.com/2005nightmare_c130.html
I believe we (radar designers) discussed at the time that it was amazing there were no deaths, but maybe there would be later when the crew found and killed whoever made that hole and did not issue a NOTAM or put up any marking to alert the crew. "northern Iraq at 11:50 p.m. on Dec. 29" for anyone wondering how this would be missed in broad daylight.
Per the link: "There were 11 crew members and passengers on board and all have been accounted for."
I did my best on the CT-II radar system, but when we talked about the 30G crash worthiness I was not expecting this to be a possible event.
That's the beak I designed the reflectors to fit within. Thanks IBM.
I believe we (radar designers) discussed at the time that it was amazing there were no deaths, but maybe there would be later when the crew found and killed whoever made that hole and did not issue a NOTAM or put up any marking to alert the crew. "northern Iraq at 11:50 p.m. on Dec. 29" for anyone wondering how this would be missed in broad daylight.
Per the link: "There were 11 crew members and passengers on board and all have been accounted for."
I did my best on the CT-II radar system, but when we talked about the 30G crash worthiness I was not expecting this to be a possible event.
That's the beak I designed the reflectors to fit within. Thanks IBM.
Joined: May 2011
Aviation Qualifications: LAME
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From: Surrey UK
Looks very much a runway repair area after a 450lb type bomb damage (or precision penetration one), perhaps that is why it was being kept quiet with no Notam?
But I have no military experience other than being in the Gulf circa 1990's.
But I have no military experience other than being in the Gulf circa 1990's.
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 267
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From: France
Hello everyone !
I am currently writing my master's thesis about construction and design of runways. In my thesis, I wanted to add a chapter about plane crashes and accidents caused by the poor condition of runway surfaces or their damage, or where the condition of the runway had an impact on the accident, but unfortunately I cannot find information about such incidents. That's why I'm asking here if you have heard or know about such cases. Thanks in advance for your answers.
I am currently writing my master's thesis about construction and design of runways. In my thesis, I wanted to add a chapter about plane crashes and accidents caused by the poor condition of runway surfaces or their damage, or where the condition of the runway had an impact on the accident, but unfortunately I cannot find information about such incidents. That's why I'm asking here if you have heard or know about such cases. Thanks in advance for your answers.
When you apply full power for takeoff, the engine blast can tear the runway surface and lift out big chunks of concrete, which can then fly into the horizontal stabilizer.
On a big aircraft (I'm thinking about an incident where it happened on a long haul aircraft) this will go unnoticed by the crew. Even if the cabin crew from the rear hear something abnormal they can't call the cockpit at that time.
The airplane can takeoff with a damaged horizontal stabilizer which is in itself a serious incident.
I don't however know of any similar case which would have escalated into an accident.
Very similar to what alfaman posted.
You could also wonder what would happen if the runway wasn't able to sustain the impact of an aircraft.
Joined: Mar 2002
Aviation Qualifications: CPL
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From: near an aeroplane
You could try Aviation-safety.net and search their database for accident or contributing cause(s). The FAA also used to have a ‘Lessons Learned’ site that had several dossiers on different topics. Runway conditions may have been one of them.
Joined: Dec 2020
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From: Home
No doubt you'll know that as pavements age their braking characteristics deteriorate - I'm not sure if things have changed recently but in some situations it was required to NOTAM a runway as liable to be 'slippery when wet' (criteria in ICAO Annex 14, I think). You might find searching for the phrase in accident/incident investigations could throw up some results. Equally, the result of pavement problems could be runway excursion - again a search may be illuminating - likewise runway and debris.
