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Take-off Incidents.
Describe the photograph below.
The plane was about to take-off but ended up overshooting the runway.
What happened?

Vocabulary

abort cancel reject towing tow truck traffic interference

bird hazard animal hazard back track turn back
runway excursion change of clearance aircraft breakdown
overshoot the runway threshold depart the side of the runway
fail to get airborne engine malfunction nose wheel steering
contaminated runway brake seizure wheel well fire

Repeat the sentence using a different phrase from above.

1. Cancelling take-off. Say again aborting take-off.
2. We didn’t take-off successfully. Say again __________.
3. We have skidded off the edge of the runway. Say again __________.
4. The landing gear housing is on fire. Say again __________.
5. We seem to be having difficulty controlling the front undercarriage. Say
again __________.
6. We have departed the end of the runway. Say again __________.
7. We need to turn back . Say again __________.
8. Taxi with caution. There are rabbits about. Say again __________.
9. We request assistance to return to the apron. Say again __________.
10. We have lost all power. Say again __________.
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What is a runway excursion?

A runway excursion occurs when an aircraft fails to confine its take off or
landing to the designated runway. This may occur during the take off roll if the
aircraft doesn’t become fully airborne or if an attempted landing is not
completed within the confines of the intended runway.

Types of Runway Excursion

• A departing aircraft fails to become airborne or successfully reject the

take off before reaching the end of the designated runway.
• A landing aircraft is unable to stop before the end of the designated
runway is reached.
• An aircraft taking off, rejecting take off or landing departs the side of
the designated runway.
• An aircraft attempting a landing touches down in the undershoot area
of the designated landing runway within the aerodrome perimeter.
• A runway or taxiway other than the designated one is used for a take
off or a landing

Why do departing aircraft fail to get airborne before the end of the
runway?

A departing aircraft fails to get airborne before end of the runway due to:
• Inappropriate aircraft handling technique
• Decision to reject a take off taken at a speed exceeding V1
• Aircraft weight exceeds maximum for prevailing conditions
• Reported runway conditions differing from actual conditions
• Aircraft weight and/or trim used for setting thrust/power or pitch trim
position is wrong
• Aircraft system malfunction (e.g. nose wheel steering or engine
malfunction)

Now answer the questions below.

1. What is a runway excursion?

2. What are the different types of runway excursion?
3. What can cause a runway excursion on take-off?
4. What can cause an aircraft to cancel its take-off?
5. How can pilots overcome the problems associated with take-off?
6. How can controllers ensure that take-off is as safe as possible?

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Cancelling take-off
Refer to document: ICAO 9432 Manual of Radiotelephony
4.5.10 Due to unexpected traffic developments, or a departing aircraft taking
longer to take off than anticipated, it is occasionally necessary to cancel the
take-off clearance or quickly free the runway for landing traffic.

G-CD TAKE OFF

IMMEDIATELY OR HOLD
SHORT OF RUNWAY
HOLDING SHORT G-CD
–––––––––
G-CD TAKE OFF IMMEDIATELY OR
VACATE RUNWAY
TAKING OFF G-CD
–––––––––
G-CD HOLD POSITION, CANCEL TAKE-OFF I SAY
AGAIN CANCEL TAKE-OFF VEHICLE ON RUNWAY
HOLDING G-CD

4.5.11 When an aircraft has commenced the take-off roll, and it is necessary
for the aircraft to abandon take-off in order to avert a dangerous traffic
situation, the aircraft should be instructed to stop immediately and the
instruction and call sign repeated.

FASTAIR 345 STOP IMMEDIATELY

FASTAIR 345 STOP IMMEDIATELY
STOPPING FASTAIR 345

4.5.12 When a pilot abandons the take-off manoeuvre, the control tower
should be so informed as soon as practicable, and assistance or taxi
instructions should be requested as required.

FASTAIR 345 STOPPING

FASTAIR 345 ROGER
FASTAIR 345 REQUEST RETURN TO RAMP
FASTAIR 345 TAKE NEXT RIGHT RETURN TO RAMP
CONTACT GROUND 118.350
NEXT RIGHT RETURN TO RAMP 118.350 FASTAIR 345
Now answer the questions below.
According to the document ICAO 9432 Manual of Radiotelephony, what
phraseology should be used in the following situations?

yThe plane is lining up and the controller doesn’t want the pilot to
proceed.
y The plane is rolling and the controller doesn’t want the pilot to proceed.
y The plane is rolling and the pilot doesn’t want to proceed.
y The plane is lining up and the pilot doesn’t want to proceed.
Now read the incident below.
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1. Shortly after commencing the taxi for takeoff, a hydraulic union in the
braking system fractured, causing fluid to leak from the Yellow hydraulic
system. The departure was cancelled and the aircraft returned to the terminal.
After stopping on the allocated stand, the parking brake was selected, but the
brakes failed to apply, as the parking brake is operated by the Yellow
hydraulic system. The aircraft then began to move forward under idle engine
power. Attempts by the crew to stop using the brake pedals proved
unsuccessful, as the other modes of braking are deactivated when the parking
brake is selected on. The aircraft collided with the airbridge, damaging the left
engine inlet cowl, before coming to a stop.

Now complete the sentences below.

1. The plane had just started to taxi when…

2. The pilot decided not to proceed and…

3. When the aircraft reached the stand…

4. However, the brakes didn’t function properly as…

5. This resulted in the aircraft…

6. Although the crew tried to stop the plane using…

7. The aircraft finally stopped after…

8. If the parking brake hadn’t been applied, the…

Answers:

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Online Aviation English - English Teacher Oxford - www.englishteacheroxford.co.uk

1. Cancelling take-off. Say again aborting take-off.

2. We didn’t take-off successfully. Say again we failed to get airborne.
3. We have skidded off the edge of the runway. Say again we have departed
the side of the runway.
4. The landing gear housing is on fire. Say again we have a wheel well fire.
5. We seem to be having difficulty controlling the front undercarriage. Say
again we have lost nose wheel steering.
6. We have departed the end of the runway. Say again we have overshot
the runway.
7. We need to turn back . Say again we need to back track.
8. Taxi with caution. There are rabbits about. Say again there is an animal
hazard.
9. We request assistance to return to the apron. Say again we request a tow
truck to tow us to the apron.
10. We have lost all power. Say again we have broken down.

Now answer the questions below.

y The plane is lining up and the controller doesn’t want the pilot to
proceed.
y G-CD HOLD POSITION, CANCEL TAKE-OFF I SAY AGAIN CANCEL
TAKE-OFF VEHICLE ON RUNWAY
y The plane is rolling and the controller doesn’t want the pilot to proceed.
y FASTAIR 345 STOP IMMEDIATELY
y The plane is rolling and the pilot doesn’t want to proceed.
y FASTAIR 345 STOPPING
y The plane is lining up and the pilot doesn’t want to proceed.
y G-CD HOLDING POSITION, CANCELLING TAKE-OFF I SAY AGAIN
CANCELLING TAKE-OFF VEHICLE ON RUNWAY

Now read the incident below.

1. The plane had just started to taxi when the brake system suffered a
fracture and there was a leakage of brake fluid.
2. The pilot decided not to proceed and cancelled the take-off and went
back to the stand.
3. When the aircraft reached the stand the pilot applied the parking brake.
4. However, the brakes didn’t function properly as they are controlled by the
braking system which had suffered a leakage.
5. This resulted in the aircraft moving forward.
6. Although the crew tried to stop the plane using other means of braking,
this proved to be unsuccessful as they do not work when the parking
brake is applied.
7. The aircraft finally stopped after it hit the airbridge and caused damage
to the left engine inlet cowl.
8. If the parking brake hadn’t been applied, the crew would have been able
to stop the aircraft with the other braking system.

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