Runway Incursions: A Case Study Analysis

Utilizing publically-available information gathered from government resources, a case study analysis of runway incursion data endeavored to determine the correlation between the reported incursions that occurred at American airports between fiscal years 2009 and 2011 and the meteorological conditions, times of day, and presence of an air traffic control tower. With runway incursions long-plaguing the safety of United States aviators, their passengers, and aviation personnel, continued research aimed at refining the body of knowledge underpinning incursions coupled with ongoing prevention efforts aspire to diminish the annual incidence of incursions, increase safety, and save lives. In accordance with this mission, mining the National Transportation Safety Board’s (NTSB) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) runway incursion databases and analyzing the resulting data with the Pearson correlation indicated a higher likelihood of incursions amid clear weather, during the daylight hours, and at airports with an air traffic control tower