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FAA Study: Kahului Runway Safety Low-Risk
Kahului runway safety was judged low-risk by an FAA study released on September 14, 2025.
The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) reviewed runway events at Kahului Airport (OGG) covering calendar years 2021–2024 and identified 11 incursions — all classified as lower-risk. The agency’s analysis found no high‑risk runway incursions during that period, and none of the recorded events posed a significant safety threat.
The 11 incursions included incidents involving ground vehicles, pedestrians, operational issues, and pilot deviations. Kahului is a medium hub with a simpler airfield layout than Honolulu’s busy airport, and the FAA’s report highlights that traffic volume and airport complexity are factors in runway safety statistics.
What the FAA found about Kahului runway safety
The report, published on September 14, 2025, breaks down each event and its risk assessment. While every runway incursion is examined to identify corrective actions, the FAA’s categorization into lower‑risk events means immediate systemic safety concerns were not flagged for Kahului. Still, the findings recommend continued monitoring and targeted mitigation where patterns emerge.
- Kahului runway safety: 11 lower-risk incursions from 2021–2024 (ground vehicles, pedestrians, operational incidents, pilot deviations)
- No high-risk events recorded in the FAA review period
- Airport classification and traffic levels cited as contributing context
Hawaii’s Department of Transportation says it will review the FAA study and consider follow-up actions to reduce even lower-risk events. Local airport operators and air traffic control will likely use the report to refine procedures, training, and ground-movement controls to keep trends downward.
For travelers and aviation watchers, the takeaway is that Kahului’s recent runway record shows manageable safety performance, but oversight continues. The FAA and Hawaii DOT emphasize reporting, investigation, and modest operational changes as the path to sustained improvement.
