Photo from FAA Safety Briefing on CFIT
In July 2021 a Beechcraft G36 Bonanza was destroyed in an accident near Aspen, Colorado. The plane collided with the terrain, one of the most common causes of general aviation accidents. The two pilots aboard the plane had landed at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) that day to refuel and have lunch. They had flown in from Napa, CA and were using Aspen as the go-between for their final destination of the day, Des Moines, Iowa. Everything was seemingly fine, but when a friend reported them overdue at their destination airport the local Colorado authorities launched a search for the Bonanza.
Prior to taking off from Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, the pilots received ground control’s clearance for an instrument flight rules plan, the NTSB report said. They abandoned that departure plan because it required the single-engine aircraft to climb to an elevation of 16,000 feet and as high as 17,000 feet. The pilot then requested a visual flight rules departure and provided his own navigation.
“The pilot responded that they could not accept 16,000 feet, which was required for the departure procedure, and would instead depart using visual flight rules,” the report said.
Recorded communications between the pilots and airport control also reflected that.
“We can’t do 16,000 sir,” one of the pilots told ground control.
“I’ll cancel your flight plan now,” ground control responded.
ADS-B Flight path
After take off, the aircraft circled around Aspen while gaining altitude. When passing through 10,100 feet, the pilots informed the tower that they would depart to the east. When the flight was 5 miles east of the airport, the tower controller informed them that they were leaving ASE airspace and approved a frequency change. The pilot asked the tower controller to recommend a frequency, however, the tower controller did not respond. The flight continued to the east and southeast. Less than 15 minutes into the flight, the plane crashed, killing both pilots and destroying the aircraft.
While attempting to navigate over mountainous terrain on a cross-country flight, the pilot flew the airplane into a canyon with high mountains. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data indicated that the pilot likely attempted to fly out of the canyon. The airplane impacted trees and rising terrain and was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire.
Photo from the wreckage site from NTSB docket
Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) is one of the top three causes of general aviation accidents, claiming up to 17% of all general aviation fatalities, according to the FAA. CFIT is an event that occurs when an aircraft, under complete pilot control, is inadvertently flown into terrain, a body of water or an obstacle. Often, the pilot is unaware of the impending danger until it’s too late to prevent an accident.
There can be a number of factors that contribute to CFIT, most of which are preventable. The most common reason for CFIT is pilot error, usually due to a loss of situational awareness. When a pilot is spatially disoriented, they become unsure or mistaken about the aircraft’s position in relation to the surrounding terrain. Degraded situational awareness, particularly a lack of understanding of the aircraft’s geographical position and attitude, can lead to poor decision-making and mistakes. Additionally, when experiencing fatigue, distraction or disorientation, even highly experienced pilots can make mistakes. Here are some ways that pilots can prevent CFIT:
Evaluate the risks and know your personal minimums
Effective risk management is critical to preventing the possibility of a CFIT accident. By using the PAVE acronym (Pilot, Aircraft, EnVironment, and External Pressures) to conduct a personal risk assessment before flying, pilots can hold themselves accountable and make the appropriate go/no-go flight decision. During the flight, it’s also important to maintain situational awareness at all times. Know your personal minimums and recognize when it’s time to turn around or divert to another airport. It is better to be safe than sorry.
Obtain a complete and accurate weather briefing
According to the FAA, over 75% of CFIT accidents actually occur in daylight, and more than half occur in visual conditions. Nevertheless, flying Visual Flight Rules (VFR) into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) is one of the deadliest precursors to CFIT accidents. In a study of a group of 41 CFIT accidents, 25% of the accidents were preceded by continued VFR into IMC, all of which were fatal. By assessing the weather conditions as provided by an acceptable source prior to a flight, a pilot can plan accordingly.
Focus on managing your in-flight workload
As humans, there is a limit to how many things we can focus our attention on. The pilot-in-command must learn to manage the workload on a flight to move low-priority tasks to times when they are less busy. Good flight workload management can allow the pilot to use the quieter periods in the middle of an en-route leg to do tasks in advance and free up time and attention for waypoints. In this way, the pilot gets “ahead of the aircraft.”
Maintain proficiency
Modern flight simulators and flight training devices make it easier and more convenient than ever before to keep your skills sharp. Take advantage of these training tools between flights and make it a personal goal to receive ongoing proficiency training with an instructor, including scenario-based training.
Contact
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