Which term describes the area at the end of the runway intended to reduce damage from undershoot or overrun?

• A. clearway
• B. stopway
• C. runway end safety area
• D. shoulder

Answer: (C)

Safety areas at the end of a runway are designed to lessen damage when an aircraft fails to stop in time or lands beyond the intended point. The term for this specific area is Runway End Safety Area. It lies beyond the runway threshold and is built to absorb impact and provide space for deceleration, reducing damage and injury in an overrun or undershoot.

Understand how the others fit: a clearway is a takeoff performance feature beyond the runway end that helps gain height during the initial climb and isn’t meant for landing or preventing damage from overruns; a stopway is also beyond the runway end but is intended to accommodate a rejected takeoff, not to protect during a landing overrun; and a shoulder is simply the edge area alongside the runway, not a designed safety zone to absorb touchdown or excursion energy.