With 6 High-Profile Incidents on Record for 2023, the Industry Seeks Solutions

The NTSB will hold a May 23 roundtable going over the threat of runway incursions after a number of close calls in recent months.

While some high-profile incidents have been the result of inadequate control procedures, the hair-raising possibility of a collision set the industry on edge as reruns of each incident were distributed throughout the public. To put the flying public at ease, the NTSB and government regulators were quick to acknowledge the issue and set themselves to work addressing the obvious shortcomings involved. Since the start of 2023, the NTSB has opened investigations into 6 separate incursion events - a worrying pace for anyone in the industry.

The NTSB said the roundtable will “bring together safety experts from the aviation industry, labor, and government to discuss the current state of the runway incursion problem and possible solutions and next steps”, with the event open to the public and recorded for later distribution. An array of guest participants will be unveiled “closer to the roundtable”, according to the announcement.

“I look forward to hosting a candid assessment of what’s been done to prevent runway incursions in the years since our last event on the topic — and to spur meaningful, immediate action on the areas where we’re stalled,” said NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy. “By proactively looking for ways to make our skies safer, this event reflects our agency’s commitment to meeting the same high standards we ask of others.” 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov