CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN AN ANALYSIS

In  aviation,  a  Controlled  Flight  Into  Terrain  (CFIT)  is  an  accident  in  which  an airworthy aircraft, fully under pilot’s control, is unintentionally flown into the ground, a mountain, a body of water or an obstacle. In a typical CFIT scenario, the crew is unaware of the impending disaster until it is too late.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 17% of all General Aviation fatalities are as a result of CFIT accidents. As per FAA in 2015, 384 people died in

238 general aviation accidents and CFIT was the second leading cause. The key

cause of CFIT accidents is loss of situational awareness.

CFIT: Facts Check

1. a) CFIT accidents are not limited to inexperienced pilot Well experienced pilots are just as likely to be involved in CFIT accidents.
2. b) CFIT accidents are not more frequently at nigh Nearly 75% of CFIT accidents occur during day time hours.
3. c) CFIT accidents occur more frequently during single pilot operations but can also occur during crewed flight.
4. d) More than half of CFIT accidents occur during IMC.
5. e) More than two third of all CFIT accidents are the result of altitude error or Vertical

Situational Awareness.

1. f) With a properly trained crew in Crew Resource Management (CRM), the second pilot may make the difference between a Safe flight and a CFIT accident.

Leading Causes

1. a) Faulty Judgement /  Poor  Decision  Making:-  Most CFIT accidents involve faulty  judgement  and  decision  making.  For  example,  making  the  decision  to continue flight when weather or other conditions have deteriorated to minimum VFR visibilities or
2. b) Low Altitude:- Flight in unfamiliar terrain at low altitudes expose the aircraft to hazards such as power cables and towers. Power lines are difficult to see until they are too  close  to  avoid.  Therefore,  pre-flight  review  of  maps,  charts  for indication of towers, power lines and other terrain elevations is
3. c) Procedural Errors During  IFR  Flight  Operations:-  Misreading  Minimum Descent Altitude (MDA) or beginning approach descent without confirmed glide scope
4. d) Training:- Training of crew  and  familiarisation  with  aircraft  and  the  area  of operations forms an integral part of avoiding CFIT
5. e) In Flight Decision Making:- Avoid the attitudes like ‘this is just a local weather phenomenon, will clear in just a few miles or I am instruments rated or I have flown many many times ’
6. f) Lack of  Pre  Flight-Planning:-  Failing  to  review  aeronautical    charts    for Minimum  Safe  Altitude  (MSA),  obstacles  and  terrain  elevations  can  result  in operating at unsafe low altitudes. In helicopter operations local area maps of half a million scale, study of map contours, ridge lines and weather patterns play a crucial

How to Avoid CFIT

a) Pilot Attributes:- Two most important pilot attributes are pre-flight preparations

and exercising sound judgement (on the cautious side). Even flying in familiar terrain, work out safe get aways. For IFR flight, be sure to note the Minimum Enroute Altitudes for all segments.

1. b) Know your Aircraft:-  Knowledge of aircraft performance like realistic maximum rate of climb or making a 180° turn under instrument conditions etc e Do not accept ATC procedures or instructions that would put the aircraft and the passengers in a potentially dangerous situation.