ATLANTA — Five Georgia airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, the busiest airport in the world, are on a new list for a high risk of collisions.
The new report from the FAA considers a “hot spot” as “a runway safety-related problem area on an airport that presents increased risk during surface operations.
“Typically, it is a complex or confusing taxiway/taxiway or taxiway/runway intersection. The area of increased risk has either a history of or potential for runway incursions or surface incidents, due to a variety of causes, such as but not limited to: airport layout, traffic flow, airport marking, signage and lighting, situational awareness, and training.”
The report lists collision hot spots for airports across the country, and Georgia has five on the list, including two in metro Atlanta.
The biggest airport in Georgia on the list is Hartsfield-Jackson. The other airport from metro Atlanta is DeKalb Peachtree Airport.
The other Georgia airports on the list are Augusta Regional, Savannah Hilton Head International and Columbus Airport.
Most of the issues that the report raises include planes taxiing along the wrong taxiway, short distances between parallel runways, or pilots needing to navigate taxiways with heavy vehicle traffic.
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“The FAA for many years has published a ‘hot spot’ list showing pilots where incidents have occurred on runways and taxiways at airports nationwide,” an FAA spokesperson told USA Today. “The purpose is to alert pilots to be extra attentive when operating in these locations, which are typically complex or confusing intersections.”
The report comes as federal officials have been raising concerns about an overtaxed and understaffed air traffic control system for years, especially after a series of close calls at airports.
“While these events are incredibly rare, our safety system is showing clear signs of strain that we cannot ignore,” Jennifer Homendy, chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, told a Senate panel during a hearing in 2023.
Homendy warned that air traffic and staffing shortages have surged since the pandemic.
She said there has been a “lack of meaningful” training — and more reliance on computer-based instruction — by the Federal Aviation Administration and airlines, and too many irregular work schedules among pilots and air traffic controllers.
“Where you end up with that is distraction, fatigue,” she told the aviation subcommittee. “You are missing things, you are forgetting things.”
In total, the report lists more than 150 airports across the country with collision hot spots.
Channel 2 Action News has reached out to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport for comment on this story and is waiting to hear back.
CLICK HERE to read the full report.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.
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