Overrun

A runway overrun (or runway excursion) occurs when an aircraft travels beyond the end of the runway surface during takeoff or landing. Overruns are one of the most common categories of runway safety events and can range from minor (rolling onto the stopway or grass) to catastrophic (departure from a cliff, water, or into obstacles).

Contributing factors to landing overruns include:

• Excessive approach speed or landing long (touching down past the normal zone)
• Wet, icy, or contaminated runway surfaces
• Tailwind component exceeding limits
• Delayed or insufficient use of braking and thrust reversers
• Inadequate landing distance assessment

To mitigate overrun consequences, many airports install EMAS (Engineered Materials Arresting System) beyond the runway end. EMAS consists of crushable concrete blocks that collapse under the aircraft's weight, decelerating it safely. EMAS has successfully stopped several overruns at airports including JFK, Chicago Midway, and Burbank.