A crash occurring during an instrument approach almost always happens because the airplane descends below the published minimum altitude. Its easy for any pilot to say, “Id never do that,” and dismiss this brand of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) as a non-hazard…at least for ourselves. 288
Ducking Under
A crash occurring during an instrument approach almost always happens because the airplane descends below the published minimum altitude. Its easy for any pilot to say, "Id never do that," and dismiss this brand of controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) as a non-hazard...at least for ourselves. True, evidence suggests that some "ducking under" decision height, decision altitude or the minimum descent altitude is intentional-the pilot knowingly flies "just a little bit lower" to try to find the runway in the murk. But ducking under is not always intentional-a conscientious pilot may be susceptible to ducking under in some circumstances. The question is, how can we avoid the traps?
Key Takeaways:
- Descending below minimum instrument approach altitudes ("ducking under") is a primary cause of aviation accidents, stemming from both intentional risk-taking and unintentional factors.
- Unintentional "ducking under" can result from external pressures (e.g., passengers, dignitaries), misidentification of visual cues, inadequate approach briefings, or cumulative minor errors like fatigue or incorrect altimeter settings.
- Pilots can prevent these incidents by asserting command authority, prioritizing safety over schedule, educating passengers, conducting thorough approach briefings, understanding approach lighting, and maintaining precise glideslope control.
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