contigency plan for an earthquake

[caucatc]

Hi everybody
After earthquake happened in Japan,a Delta flight had to divert, but pilot found the airport runway is not strong engouh to hold his aircraft,that made me think that if there is a contingency plan for an earthquake should be made ? Does anyone have related things about that ?

[Neptune262]

The case you mention sounds like that an airfield offered by ATC to the Delta flight had a runway PCN (pavement classification number) that was lower that the aircraft's ACN (aircraft classification number), therefore the aircraft could not divert there.

The Delta aircraft would have an approved and preferred list of diversion airfileds that could handle this aircraft.

A mature SMS (Safety Management System) should ensure that any possible risks are addressed at specific airfields. If an airfield operates in an area where earthquakes are either known to have happened, or are possible to occur, then mitigation measures should be planned. These may then include contingency plans for such an event.