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Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) refers to accidents in which there was an in-flight collision with terrain, water, or obstacle, without indication of loss of control. The critical distinction in these types of accidents is the fact that the aircraft was under the control of the flight crew at the time of the collision.  Although CFIT is not the most frequent of accident categories, such accidents account for a substantial number of fatalities. CFIT is the second highest cause of fatal accidents.  IATA advocates for a data-driven approach to the evaluation of risks and the development of solutions to mitigate CFIT accidents.

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Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) refers to accidents in which there was an in-flight collision with terrain, water, or obstacle, without indication of loss of control. The critical distinction in these types of accidents is the fact that the aircraft was under the control of the flight crew at the time of the collision. IATA advocates for a data-driven approach to the evaluation of risks and the development of solutions to mitigate CFIT accidents.

Managing the risks​

The joint IATA / Honeywell guidance on Performance assessment of pilot response to Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS) (pdf) highlights the importance of keeping the terrain/obstacle/runway database up to date. It also makes several recommendations that may result in significantly reducing CFIT risks. In support of the guidance document, IATA has developed a CFIT Detailed Implementation Plan (DIP) and is working with airlines, OEMs, international organizations and other relevant stakeholders to see they are applied.

 

Enhance Access to EGPWS/TAWS Database Information

A collaborative effort between IATA and various EGPWS/TAWS Suppliers resulted in the publication of the Enhance Access to EGPWS/TAWS Database Information guide (pdf), which aims at providing operators with essential information on how to access the latest EGPWS/TAWS Terrain Database (TDB). It includes instructions and resources on where and how to obtain the latest TDB updates from various EGPWS/TAWS Suppliers.

Run your own CFIT analysis

The IATA Annual Safety Report provides the capability to analyze aviation accidents. To delve into the specifics, one can utilize the interactive features of the report by selecting the Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) end state and can apply filters like timeframe, aircraft propulsion, and region of operators. This allows for a tailored examination of the data, offering insights into trends and patterns that can inform safety improvements.


Furthermore, for CFIT prevention, we encourage you to visit the following sections of the IATA Annual Safety Report:

  • The Threat and Error Management (TEM) section, which focuses on identifying factors contributing to CFIT accidents. This section provides the user with the capability to select the CFIT accident category from the left pane and the classification of the TEM will correspond to the selection.
  • The  Recommendations for Accident Prevention section, which outlines strategies and measures to enhance CFIT accidents in aviation. For those interested in further exploring these aspects of the IATA Annual Safety Report, the document is accessible online and provides valuable insights for operators, pilots, and other stakeholders in the aviation community to reduce the likelihood of CFIT.