CFIT on Departure

Pilot responsibilities differ from a controllers. The regs state, the pilot in command of an aircraft is directly responsible for, and is the final authority as to, the operation of that aircraft. This authority and responsibility is granted with the intention that its used to ensure safety-a pilots primary obligation. Yet, pilots keep having controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents, often with fatalities. Its the second leading cause of commercial aviation fatalities worldwide. NTSB Board Member Robert Sumwalt described CFIT as the problem that never went away. CFIT frequently occurs at night or in IMC.

Key Takeaways:

• Pilots are the final authority and ultimately responsible for obstacle clearance, especially during departure, even when ATC issues instructions.
• Blindly following unexpected ATC-assigned headings on departure can be dangerous and lead to Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT), as ATC's primary role is traffic flow, not necessarily obstacle clearance below Minimum Vectoring Altitudes (MVAs) without radar contact or a Diverse Vector Area (DVA).
• Pilots must be aware of Obstacle Departure Procedure (ODP), Standard Instrument Departure (SID), or DVA climb requirements and aircraft performance, and be prepared to decline unsafe ATC instructions by stating "unable" for operational necessity.

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