What is CFIT?

Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) occurs when an airworthy airplane under the control of a pilot is inadvertently flown into terrain, water, or an obstacle with inadequate awareness on the part of the pilot of the impending disaster.

Our Role in Reducing CFIT

As a manufacturer, CIRRUS builds aircraft with modern technology to provide pilots with resources to improve positional and situational awareness. Advanced systems, such as Primary Flight Display, Multi-Function Display, Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, Flight Director, Traffic Awareness, Weather Datalink and Stormscope help pilots with prudent risk management and aeronautical decision making.

The important thing to remember is that these are merely tools. Your role as a pilot is to ensure that the safety of flight is never in question by continually updating your knowledge and awareness of where you are and the conditions in which you are flying.

Together, we can reduce CFIT accidents by continually improving technology, providing better training and exercising good judgment, thereby enhancing the flying experience, safety and the comfort of our passengers.

Addressing the issue is a good first step.

Aircraft Type & CFIT Incidents

CFIT accidents occur most frequently in General Aviation (GA) operations, comprising 4.7% of all GA accidents and 32% of GA accidents in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). On average there are 1.4 fatalities per CFIT accident, versus 0.33 fatalities per GA accident overall.

According to the April 2005 issue of Aviation International News, since 1996 there has not been a CFIT accident involving an airplane equipped with a Terrain Avoidance Warning System system.