This situation overview provides information on runway incursions. The information is produced by the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom and updated in English annually. In Finnish the information is updated twice a year.
N.B: For most up-to-date information on runway incursions, change language selection to Finnish.
Runway incursions 2024
In 2024, 60 runway incursions, i.e., cases where an aircraft, vehicle or person was incorrectly on a runway or its protected area, were reported in Finland. The number was slightly above the 2014–2023 average (57), but almost at the same level as the previous year. Also, in relation to the number of operations, the number of runway incursions remained at the same level as the previous year (approximately 21 cases per 100,000 operations), but it was higher than the ten-year average.
One of the runway incursions was classified as a serious incident. Over the past ten years, runway incursions have resulted in an average of just under two serious incidents per year. The 2024 serious incident occurred at an uncontrolled aerodrome, as has been typical in previous years. In the incident, a glider was forced to abort its landing and go around when a van appeared on the runway.
Runway incursions have not caused any accidents in Finland in the last ten years.
A runway incursion is defined as a situation in which an aircraft, vehicle or person enters a runway or its protected area without permission or otherwise in error. At uncontrolled aerodromes where there is no air traffic control to issue runway clearances, incursions are classified as runway incursions if it is assessed that another aircraft, vehicle or person has entered the runway in a significant error.
Aircraft
Last year, 26 aircraft runway incursions were reported in Finland. This was clearly below the 2014–2023 average (34). The number of aircraft runway incursions has been decreasing for several years, and the same trend continued in 2024.
Runway incursions typically occurred in military or general aviation. Last year, most of the incidents were related to military aviation, but the number was at the average level. Fewer incidents than average were reported in general aviation.
In commercial air transport, six runway incursions occurred, which was significantly higher than the previous average (about three per year). These incidents did not cause significant risk to other aircraft. Last year, the number of commercial air transport incidents was increased by three runway deviations in commercial helicopter operations. In previous years, runway incursions caused by helicopter operations have been relatively rare.
The most common locations for runway incursions in 2024 were Helsinki, Jyväskylä, Rovaniemi and Tampere-Pirkkala. The same airports have often been the locations of occurrences in previous years, due to the busy traffic at these airports. Relatively speaking, there have been no significant changes in the numbers.
Runway deviations most often occurred during landing (the aircraft landed without the required clearance) or taxiing (taxiing onto the runway without clearance). Slightly less frequently, but still quite often, the incursion occurred during takeoff, when the takeoff was made without the required clearance. In 2024, this phase of flight was the most common time for runway incursions to occur.
There were no serious incidents or accidents in Finland due to runway incursions caused by aircraft. However globally, in January, a serious accident due to a runway incursion occurred at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. A Dash 8 aircraft of the local border guard taxied onto the runway without permission at the same time as a Japan Airlines Airbus A350 was landing. The collision could not be avoided, and both aircraft were destroyed. The passengers of the Airbus were successfully evacuated, and all those on board survived. Only one of the people on the other aircraft survived. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing.
Such serious runway excursion accidents are extremely rare. The most serious incident of the 2000s occurred in 2001 at Milan Linate Airport. In bad weather conditions, an SAS MD-87 collided with a Cessna 525 that had incorrectly taxied onto the runway in front of the MD-87. A total of 118 people died in the accident.
Vehicles
In 2024, vehicles caused 23 runway incursions at Finnish airports. The number was at the same level as in previous years but clearly above the average for 2014–2023 (15). Also, relative to the number of operations, there were more vehicle runway incursions than average. However, the incidents did not cause significant consequences.
As in previous years, the majority of runway incursions caused by vehicles occurred during the winter months, especially in January and November-December. During these times, airport maintenance often needs to clear runways of snow. In some cases, the vehicle driver forgets to request permission to use the runway. Sometimes this forgetfulness can be due to the fact that other maintenance equipment is already on the runway.
Most of the incidents were recorded in Helsinki-Vantaa, Kuopio and Kuusamo. In the previous year, the majority of incidents occurred in Jyväskylä, Tampere-Pirkkala and Ivalo. The distribution of incident locations varies from year to year.
The number of runway incursions caused by vehicles decreased steadily until 2021, but since then the number has started to increase, although airport operators have implemented several measures to improve the situation.
One runway excursion caused by a vehicle was classified as a serious incident. In the incident, a glider was landing at an uncontrolled airfield in Räyskälä when a van unexpectedly drove onto the runway in front of the aircraft. The pilot had to take evasive action to avoid a collision. However, such serious incidents caused by vehicles are exceptional.
Persons
Five human-caused runway incursions were reported in 2024. The number was clearly below the 2014–2023 average (17.1), but slightly higher than the previous year.
Compared to the previous couple of years, exceptionally last year the majority of incidents (3) occurred at controlled airports. Typically the majority of incidents caused by individuals have occurred at uncontrolled aerodromes, where it is more challenging to control access to the area. For example, Nummela aerodrome has been a relatively common location in previous years, and last year one such situation was reported from Nummela. The incidents reported at controlled airports occurred at different airports across Finland.
There are many reasons why people may end up on the runway without permission, such as poor knowledge of the area or airport operating procedures. Operators of uncontrolled aerordomes have several means at their disposal to prevent such situations. These include placing warning signs in critical locations, information campaigns in local newspapers and, if necessary, using physical protection such as gates or fences, if possible.
Air traffic control
Air traffic control contributed to four runway incursions last year. The number was at the level of both the 2014–2023 average and the average relative to the number of airport operations.
All incidents occurred at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Also in previous years, the majority of runway incursions with air traffic control contribution have been recorded in Helsinki, which is due to the high number of operations at the airport. However, relative to the number of operations, Helsinki has relatively few runway incursions.
Runway incursions with air traffic control contributions have been rare in recent years, and this positive situation continued in 2024.
Traficom's work to reduce runway incursions
Traficom has published a number of safety bulletins concerning runway incursions over the years. In 2013, an information letter (PDF) (in Finnish) (External link) was sent to all aviation licence holders, and in November 2018 a safety bulletin (in Finnish) (External link) was published, which reminded the operators about typical cases of runway incursions. A safety bulletin (in Finnish) (External link) published in October 2019 discussed the events of summer 2019, including runway incursions. A safety bulletin (in Finnish) (External link) that handled themes such as runway incursions was also published in June 2020. The bulletins still contain useful tips for avoiding runway incursions.
The European Plan for Prevention of Runway Incursions EAPPRI (External link) was updated by the European aviation organisations in late 2017. EAPPRI contains numerous recommendations, and all parties should thus go through this document and attempt to implement its recommendations as far as possible. Traficom conducted a survey on the status of implementing the recommendations in Finland in September 2018. According to the answers, about 80% of the EAPPRI recommendations had been implemented or are going to be implemented.