NTSB ISSUES SAFETY ALERT TO WARN PILOTS ABOUT CFIT ACCIDENTS DURING NIGHT VISUAL CONDITIONS

[NTSB Press Releases <NTSBPressReleases@xxxxxxxx>]

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                      NTSB PRESS RELEASE
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National Transportation Safety Board
Washington, DC 20594

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2008

SB-08-06

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NTSB ISSUES SAFETY ALERT TO WARN PILOTS ABOUT
CFIT ACCIDENTS DURING NIGHT VISUAL CONDITIONS

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        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 can be found on the Board's website, 
at the following link:  
http://www.ntsb.gov/alerts/SA_013.pdf.

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NTSB Press Contact:     Ted Lopatkiewicz
                                (202) 314-6100
                                lopatt@xxxxxxxx
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