Politics · Sun Belt Post
By Ted Scouten Reporter, Multiple Emmy Award-winning journalist Ted Scouten has been the familiar face at the scene of international stories affecting South Florida since 1998.
A 767 cargo plane overshot a runway at Miami International Airport (MIA), sliding 1,300 feet past the pavement before crashing through a perimeter fence, crossing Northwest 67th Avenue, and crushing vehicles. The plane came to a stop and burst into flames after the overrun.
The incident has drawn attention to Engineered Materials Arresting Systems (EMAS), a safety feature used at more than 70 U.S. airports. EMAS consists of crushable material at the end of a runway that allows aircraft tires to sink, slowing the plane and stopping it safely if it overruns the pavement. An example of an aircraft using FAA-approved EMAS technology is provided by their website, noting it is used at 69 U.S. airports except Miami International Airport. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport does use this technology.
Anthony Temperino, a pilot and operations director at Capital Jets Fort Lauderdale Charter and Aircraft Management, explained that EMAS is used where there isn’t enough space for a full 1,000-foot Runway Safety Area. He noted that at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, EMAS provides essential added security due to its proximity to I-95.
Miami International Airport, however, does not use EMAS. In a statement released late Sunday, the airport confirmed that its runway 12/30 maintains the full 1,000-foot Runway Safety Area mandated by the FAA. The airport clarified that EMAS is generally used at airports where space constraints prevent a full safety area. It stated that no U.S. airport has EMAS at a runway end that also maintains the full 1,000-foot safety area. EMAS is intended as an alternative, not an additional layer.
The airport confirmed that MIA undergoes a comprehensive FAA safety inspection annually and has consistently met federal airfield safety requirements. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said investigators are examining the absence of an EMAS system at the crash site. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are currently investigating the crash. The airport stated it will cooperate fully with the review and evaluate any recommendations from the investigation.
The crash underscores the importance of EMAS as a safety feature, particularly at airports where space constraints limit the availability of full safety areas.
Source: CBS News
