No one was hurt when this United plane slid off the runway at Ottawa airport Sunday.No one was hurt when this United plane slid off the runway at Ottawa airport Sunday. CBC

A runway mishap at the Ottawa airport Sunday is evidence of a larger problem, CBC News has learned.

The mishap of United Express Flight 3363 — which skidded off the runway — was the latest landing-related incident in 2011 in Ontario. So far this year, landing-related accidents are up 20 per cent, compared with the same time period last year.

Landing issues have accounted for 59 per cent of accidents in the province during the period from Jan. 1 to Sept. 7, 2011, while the number of cruise-related and takeoff-related accidents have been cut in half so far this year.

The statistics come from a database run by Transport Canada, and shows a rise in landing-related accidents since 2008 as the total number of accidents decline steadily.

Landing-related accidents in Ontario

Type of Accident2008200920102011
Landing-related106112118147
Cruise85547235
Takeoff641014023
Climb12142319
Total352340295249
Source: Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS)

Landing problems are Ontario’s most common type of plane accident, with 147 accidents in 2011 causing one death.

"The landing phase of any aircraft is always going to be a relatively crucial phase of the flight," said civil aviation expert Vince Charron.

"You're dealing with a variety of changing elements all the time: weather factors, runway condition, partial failures of any type of system on the aircraft."

There are different kinds of landing-related accidents, including planes overshooting the runway, losing control on the tarmac or crashing.

Weather is the main factor

This year's rise in incidents could be weather related, according to the Transportation Safety Board, as wet runways are the most frequent cause of mishaps.

Canada's runways are also not up to par, according to one safety expert.

"Transport Canada does not meet the international standard for runway end safety areas," said Mark Clitsome, the safety board's director of investigations.

"There is no requirement, but there should be."

Clitsome said the safety board is looking into grooved runways to prevent hydroplaning and special pads at the end of the runway to slow down planes.

With files from the CBC's Ashley Burke