FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2008 SB-08-06
NTSB ISSUES SAFETY ALERT TO WARN PILOTS ABOUT CFIT ACCIDENTS DURING NIGHT VISUAL CONDITIONS
Washington, DC - The National Transportation Safety Board today issued a Safety Alert to suggest ways for general aviation pilots to avoid controlled flight into terrain accidents during night visual conditions. The Safety Alert cited 6 accidents the Board investigated in a recent 3-year period in which aircraft collided with terrain while either climbing shortly after takeoff or descending to prepare to land.
The Board noted in the Alert that the pilots and air traffic controllers involved all appeared to have been unaware that the aircraft were in danger by approaching terrain. The Board believes that increased altitude and position awareness and better preflight planning would likely have prevented all of the accidents.
NTSB Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said that the Alert is a good way to remind pilots not to be complacent during visual conditions. "Some of the pilots involved in these accidents had many hours of experience and were instrument rated, yet for some lapses in basic airmanship they failed to maintain proper altitude."
The Safety Alert is to be found here on our site.
NTSB Press Contact: Ted Lopatkiewicz
(202) 314-6100
lopatt@ntsb.gov