8 NY Airports Flagged By FAA For Having Runway Collision Risk

NEW YORK— Federal aviation authorities have identified several airports in New Jersey as having “hot spot” areas, locations on runways or taxiways known for increased risk of confusion or potential collisions.

The airports listed in the most recent publication by the Federal Aviation Administration include:

• John F. Kennedy International Airport
• LaGuardia Airport
• Long Island MacArthur Airport
• Stewart International Airport
• Niagara Falls International Airport
• Hudson Valley Regional Airport
• Syracuse Hancock International Airport
• Westchester County Airport

The Federal Aviation Administration’s “airport surface hot spots” list highlights areas where pilots must use extra caution due to complex layouts or past incidents, USA Today reported.

These can include confusing taxiway intersections, runways in close proximity, or areas where aircraft may inadvertently enter active runways.

Read the full list on the FAA's website.

Some of the concerns identified in New Jersey include runway incursions caused by hard-to-see hold markings, taxiways that provide direct access to runways without clear visibility from control towers, and intersections where multiple runways and taxiways converge.

“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 publication comes amid broader national safety efforts.

The rule change is the latest in a series of responses to a mid-air crash between an Army helicopter and an American Airlines plane that killed 67 people near Washington, D.C. last year.

Aviation experts say the hot spot designations are not indications that airports are unsafe, but rather tools to improve awareness and prevent incidents before they happen.

Pilots are encouraged to review the FAA’s full hot spot list and airport diagrams before operating at any of the affected locations.

With reporting from Patch correspondent Amie Schaenzer.