Safety statistics show that runway excursions are the most common type of business aircraft accidents, accounting for some 33 to 40 percent of all mishaps. While most runway excursions involve overrunning the end of the runway and are usually survivable, others, typically with far more serious results, involve failed attempts to abort the landing with the intention of making a go-around.
To address this type of accident, the FAA last week issued Information for Operators (InFo) letter 15003 that stresses the “importance of establishing a point, during landing, where a go-around or aborted landing procedure will not be initiated and the only option will be bringing the aircraft to a stop.” As background, the agency cited the July 31, 2008 accident involving an air-taxi Hawker 800 that crashed while attempting a go-around more than 17 seconds after touchdown on a 5,500-foot runway. The two pilots and six passengers were killed. Accidents like these “might have been prevented if the pilots had committed to the landings, rather than attempting to go around with insufficient runway available.” The FAA is recommending that directors of safety establish SOPs for aircrew to determine a point after touchdown where a go-around will not be initiated.