Definition
An event in which an aircraft, during takeoff or landing, fails to stop before reaching the end of the runway and continues past the departure end onto the surface beyond.
Plain English
When an aircraft can't stop in time and rolls off the far end of the runway.
Context Anchor
Seen in runway safety discussions, landing performance planning, takeoff planning, and accident or incident reports.
Derivation
From 'over' (beyond) and 'run' (to travel along the ground). The aircraft literally runs beyond the intended stopping area.
Why Pilots Care
Overruns can cause aircraft damage, injuries, or fatalities and drive requirements for runway safety areas and performance planning.
Analogy
It is like a car that cannot stop before the road ends. The problem is not just being late to stop; it is running out of usable surface.
Intuition Check
A runway overrun does not mean simply landing farther down the runway than planned. It means the aircraft actually goes beyond the runway end.
Example Sentence 1
Wet runway conditions and a tailwind contributed to the runway overrun during landing.
Example Sentence 2
Insufficient acceleration on takeoff caused the aircraft to enter a runway overrun before becoming airborne.