Controlled flight into terrain

Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) is a term developed by engineers at Boeing in the late 1970s. It describes an accident whereby an airworthy aircraft, under complete control of the pilot(s), inadvertently flies into terrain (or an obstacle, or water). The pilots are generally unaware of the danger until it is too late.

Notable incidents

One of the most famous incidents of CFIT was the crash of Eastern Airlines Flight 401 near Miami, Florida on December 31, 1972. The pilot, co-pilot, and navigator had become fixated on a faulty landing gear light and had failed to realize that the auto pilot had been switched off. The distracted flight crew did not recognize the plane's slow descent and the completely airworthy aircraft struck the ground in the Everglades, killing 101 out of 176 passengers and crew.

Related Topics:
Eastern Airlines Flight 401 - Miami, Florida - December 31 - 1972 - Everglades

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Another famous example was the crash of Air New Zealand Flight 901 into Mount Erebus, Antarctica on November 28, 1979. There is still disagreement over the exact causes of the crash, but it is commonly accepted that the pilots' loss of situational awareness and whiteout conditions at the time were contributory factors leading to the crash.

Related Topics:
Air New Zealand Flight 901 - Mount Erebus - Antarctica - November 28 - 1979 - Situational awareness - Whiteout

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