Overruns Halted Safely In Chicago and Boca Raton

EMAS – Engineered Materials Arresting Systems – were instrumental in stopping aircraft during runway overruns at Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK) in Illinois, and at Boca Raton Airport (KBCT) in Florida on September 3.

EMAS consists of a bed of lightweight material that is crushable and is installed at the end of a runway. It is designed to decelerate aircraft that overshoot, undershoot, or veer off the runway. It does this by allowing the aircraft’s tires to sink into the surface, absorbing momentum to bring it to a stop. The FAA says a standard EMAS installation is capable of stopping most overruns at speeds up to 70 knots.

In Chicago, a Gulfstream G150 overran the rain-slicked 5,000-foot runway at Chicago Executive and the EMAS system installed beyond the end of the runway brough the aircraft to a safe stop. No serious injuries were reported by the two people on board.

A few hours later, a similar incident occurred in Boca Raton when a Bombardier Challenger 300 went beyond the runway during landing and was brought safely to a stop by the EMAS bed. Again, no serious injuries were reported by any of the four on board.

In both cases, the EMAS prevented the aircraft from leaving airport property, and in the Chicago incident, prevented the Gulfstream from entering a major roadway.

FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a statement, “Yesterday’s incidents in Chicago and Boca Raton clearly demonstrate the lifesaving value of EMAS technology. These two systems did exactly what they’re designed to do—stop aircraft safely when they go off the runway. This technology is making a real difference in preventing serious accidents.”

These incidents illustrate how important EMAS technology is by preventing potentially catastrophic runway overruns. FAA recently funded an $8.5 million EMAS installation at Philadelphia International (KPHL), bringing the number of EMAS to 117 systems at more than 60 U.S. airports.

FMI:  www.faa.gov/