![The FAA sent a notice to pilots warning them not to disable TAWS aural alerts as the tool can be a critical safety feature in avoiding CFIT accidents. [Credit: Jason McDowell]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Jason-McDowell-mountains1-1-e1681405985630.jpeg)
Question: In ground school we’re learning about controlled flight into terrain. I get it if you are flying at night or accidentally go into a cloud, but we learned [it] can happen in VFR conditions. If you can see outside and what’s coming, shouldn’t you be able to avoid it?
Answer: Like most aviation accidents, controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) usually has multiple causal factors. FAA Advisory Circular 61-134 has some good information to help understand how this happens, but basically, it boils down to a lack of situational awareness. Don’t let the airplane go anywhere your brain hasn’t arrived at 10 minutes earlier.
