Runway incursions in Norway 2009-2019: A case study of extended investigation reports

Abstract

The aim of the present study is to examine case studies from extended investigations of runway incursions in Norway from 2009-2019. Runway incursions involves an incorrect presence of an aircraft, vehicle or person on the runway and represents a relatively frequent threat to safety in the aviation industry. A content analysis and classification of the extended investigation reports (N=7) revealed 42 explanatory factors that could be condensed into four categories related to perception, procedural errors, memory and decision-making. When mapped onto the theoretical framework of situational awareness about 70% of the explanatory factors were related to misperception of information, improper comprehension of information or incorrect projection of future actions, respectively. The present study suggests that situational awareness can serve as a useful theoretical framework to identify deficits in human factors associated with runway incursion incidents. The results from this study contributes to inform investigation into aviation hazards and training of air traffic controllers.