Collisions between aircraft on the airport surface are costly but rare occurrences. In this study, we use precursor events, potentially hazardous interactions between taxiing aircraft, as a proxy for collisions to examine factors that contribute to collision likelihood. The results of an analysis of airport taxiway collision potential across thirty-five US airports are presented and compared to the historical record of taxiway accidents over the past decade. Statistics on the rates of aircraft interactions across the subject airports are compared and interpreted. Links between specific taxiway system features and elevated frequencies of potentially hazardous interactions are identified and discussed. Congestion near runway hold lines and at transitions between taxiways and ramps were the most commonly observed symptoms of increased collision potential.
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