What does "controlled flight into terrain" (CFIT) mean?

Controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) refers to a situation where an aircraft that is under the control of a qualified pilot unintentionally impacts the ground or a body of water while still being considered airworthy. This typically occurs when the pilot may not be aware of the proximity to the terrain due to factors such as poor visibility, mismanaged altitude, or a lack of situational awareness. CFIT incidents can happen even with well-trained pilots, as it involves complexities in awareness and navigation rather than an outright failure of the aircraft.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of what CFIT entails. Emergency landing procedures relate to actions taken during a dire situation, which does not align with the unintentional nature of CFIT. The notion that only untrained pilots could be affected does not hold, as CFIT can impact pilots of varying skill levels. Finally, while navigation malfunctions can contribute to aviation accidents, the explanation of CFIT specifically emphasizes the controlled flight aspect leading to unintentional impact with terrain or water without implying a technical failure of navigation systems.