One of the inherent risks in flying an aircraft is a controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) incident. CFIT occurs when thea flight impacts terrain while under positive control. Aside from incidents of suicide, this means the terrain impact came as a surprise to the pilot.
Controlled Flight Into Terrain Awareness is a special emphasis area in the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) practical test standards (PTS). The FAA felt it necessary to include this as a special emphasis area because of the prevalence of this type of incident.
What steps can aircraft pilots take to mitigate the risk of CFIT?