4/20/23 

AIM 

Section 6.  Potential Flight Hazards 

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1.  Accident Cause Factors 

a. 

The 10 most frequent cause factors for general aviation accidents that involve the pilot-in-command are: 

1. 

Inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning. 

2. 

Failure to obtain and/or maintain flying speed. 

3. 

Failure to maintain direction control. 

4. 

Improper level off. 

5. 

Failure to see and avoid objects or obstructions. 

6. 

Mismanagement of fuel. 

7. 

Improper inflight decisions or planning. 

8. 

Misjudgment of distance and speed. 

9. 

Selection of unsuitable terrain. 

10. 

Improper operation of flight controls. 

b. 

This list remains relatively stable and points out the need for continued refresher training to establish a 

higher level of flight proficiency for all pilots. A part of the FAA’s continuing effort to promote increased aviation 

safety is the Aviation Safety Program. For information on Aviation Safety Program activities contact your nearest 

Flight Standards District Office. 

c.  Alertness. 

Be alert at all times, especially when the weather is good. Most pilots pay attention to business 

when they are operating in full IFR weather conditions, but strangely, air collisions almost invariably have 

occurred under ideal weather conditions. Unlimited visibility appears to encourage a sense of security which is 

not at all justified. Considerable information of value may be obtained by listening to advisories being issued 

in the terminal area, even though controller workload may prevent a pilot from obtaining individual service. 

d.  Giving Way. 

If you think another aircraft is too close to you, give way instead of waiting for the other pilot 

to respect the right-of-way to which you may be entitled. It is a lot safer to pursue the right-of-way angle after 

you have completed your flight. 

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2.  Reporting Radio/Radar Altimeter Anomalies 

a. 

Background. 

1. 

The radio altimeter (also known as radar altimeter or RADALT) is a safety

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critical aircraft system used 

to determine an aircraft’s height above terrain. It is the only sensor onboard the aircraft capable of providing a 

direct measurement of the clearance height above the terrain and obstacles. Information from radio altimeters 

is essential for flight operations as a main enabler of several safety

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critical functions and systems on the aircraft. 

The receiver on the radio altimeter is highly accurate because it is extremely sensitive, making it susceptible to 

radio frequency interference (RFI). RFI in the C

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band portion of the spectrum could impact the functions of the 

radio altimeter during any phase of flight—most critically during takeoff, approach, and landing phases. This 

could pose a serious risk to flight safety. 

2. 

Installed radio altimeters normally supply critical height data to a wide range of automated safety 

systems, navigation systems, and cockpit displays. Harmful RFI affecting the radio altimeter can cause these 
safety and navigation systems to operate in unexpected ways and display erroneous information to the pilot. RFI 
can interrupt, or significantly degrade, radio altimeter functions—precluding radio altimeter

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based terrain alerts 

Potential Flight Hazards 

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