How do earthquakes affect airplanes that are landing or taking off?

Question

If an earthquake strikes AS an airplane is landing or taking off, can it adversely affect the aircraft movement? Basically, if the ground is shaking, how can the plane land stably, or how can it start to take off stably?

Answer 1

The best runways are the ones that aren't moving or that don't have big gaping holes in them.  If the runway suddenly rises a foot or so as the aircraft touches down, the landing gear could be collapsed thus spoiling the pilot's record of perfect landings and complaints from grumpy passengers.

Answer 2

That depends largely on the type of earthquake and intensity. An earthquake isn't usually a shaking so much as a sliding back and forth. If there's a very significant shearing back and forth, as in a very high intensity quake, then the gear might be damaged by the side to side motion. At takeoff and landing, this could be trouble. However, an earthquake is most dangerous to structures that are inflexible and crack as they sway. Vehicles, even large ones,  are often less effected due to their less solid attachment to the moving ground. Most earthquakes don't have ground motion of more than a foot. As an answer above says, that would likely not even be felt as more than a sway, like wind. Drivers on roads have said they never even noticed a quakes because the car's suspention dampened the motion. So only a very severe earthquake with the right kind of motion would effect most airplanes especially airliners, which are equipped with robust landing gear. . The other consideration is with smaller aircraft but ,again, only very severe motion would topple the plane. As for runways, they are built very strong but ,oddly, flexible. This means only a  very severe earthquake will crack the runway enough to wreck a plane.

Answer 3

Earthquakes don't have much effect on the aircraft's performance during landing or takeoff. Earthquakes can be a problem when it punches a deep crack on the runway which could damage the aircraft.

Answer 4

A stable surface is not needed for takeoff or landing.  You've seen carrier planes take off and land on ships which are pitching and rolling.  Seaplanes and flying boats take off and land on ocean surfaces that can be more unstable than the ground during an earthquake.

Answer 5

neither would be much of a problem

if it is early into the takeoff roll, they will abort and the aircraft will stay on the runway. there is nothing that can fall on it and damage it. it is also unlikely that the ground will open up and swallow the runway. the landing may collapse but the passengers would not be hurt severely

if it occurs late during takeoff, they will continue the roll as normal and takeoff, with the pilots correcting for any offsets probably without any problems.

it the earthquake occurs as the aircraft is touching down, the pilots will apply takeoff power and takeoff again.

if it occurs after the aircraft has landed and is slowing down, the acft will stop and remain on the runway. an evacuation may follow using the slides.

also, there is the question of whether the pilots know there is an earthquake.

they might think it is heavy winds, or some other kind of atmospheric phenomenon. when you've been in the air a lot, and it starts shaking, you don't immediately think of earthquake. they would probably correct as necessary to keep the aircraft controlled and stable and fly until ATC tells them that there has been an earthquake. from there, depending whether it was a TO or a landing, they will divert or go to destination.