Don't Mute Aural TAWS Alerts, FAA Warns Pilots

Some accidents could have been avoided if pilots had not turned off the terrain avoidance and warning system, FAA said.

Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 01:13 PM ET

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TAWS pulls aircraft position, speed, and direction data from GPS and, along with the aircraft's altitude and configuration information, compares them to a database of Earth's terrain and manmade obstacles. [Illustration by Bryan Christie Design]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA issued a warning to pilots against disabling Terrain Avoidance and Warning Systems (TAWS) aural alerts, highlighting their critical role in preventing controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents.
Pilots often inhibit TAWS due to perceived "nuisance" alerts, a practice linked to several fatal CFIT accidents where the system was disabled, such as a 2015 Alaska crash.
Despite TAWS significantly improving flight safety since the 1970s, approximately 40 CFIT accidents occur annually, with half being fatal, often during approach or landing phases.
The FAA recommends that operators review their training programs to ensure adequate procedures and training are in place for the proper use of TAWS, emphasizing the risks associated with routine use of the terrain inhibit feature.

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The FAA sent a notice to pilots warning them not to disable terrain avoidance and warning systems (TAWS) aural alerts as the tool can be a critical safety feature in avoiding controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents.

The FAA’s warning came as part of an Information for Operators (InFO)—a notice designed to help operators meet certain administrative or regulatory requirements with a low sense of urgency or impact on safety.