Engine Failure Procedures

Where your decision point is. The prudent multiengine pilot picks a point in the takeoff and climb sequence in advance (AFH ch. 13).

Before that point: an engine failure means reject the takeoff, even if airborne, landing on whatever runway or surface lies essentially ahead.

After that point: an engine failure means promptly executing the engine failure procedure and continuing the climb, assuming the performance capability exists.

The takeoff should be planned in sufficient detail that the appropriate action is taken, and that decision reviewed as the last item of the before-takeoff checklist.

If the landing gear has not been selected up, reject the takeoff — even if airborne (AFH ch. 13).

Conversely, the general recommendation is to raise the landing gear not later than VYSE, and once the gear is up, consider it a GO commitment if climb performance is available.

Reject. Directional control can only be maintained by promptly closing both throttles and using rudder and brakes as required (AFH ch. 13).

Maintain directional control with rudder, nose-wheel steering, and brakes. The primary objective is not necessarily to stop in the shortest distance, but to maintain control of the airplane as it decelerates — it may be preferable to continue into the overrun under control rather than risk directional control loss, landing gear collapse, or tire/brake failure trying to stop short.

Land (AFH ch. 13):

1. Keep the nose as straight as possible
2. Close both throttles
3. Adjust pitch attitude to maintain adequate airspeed
4. Descend to the runway — concentrate on a normal landing, do not force the aircraft on the ground
5. Land on the remaining runway or overrun

Depending on how quickly you react to the sudden yaw, the airplane may run off the side of the runway by the time action is taken. There are really no other practical options — the chances of maintaining directional control while retracting flaps and gear, feathering, and accelerating are minimal.

Land on whatever essentially lies ahead (AFH ch. 13).

There is also the option of continuing ahead in a descent at VYSE with the remaining engine producing power — as long as you are not tempted to remain airborne beyond the airplane's performance capability.

Remaining airborne and bleeding off airspeed in a futile attempt to maintain altitude is almost invariably fatal. Landing under control is paramount.

Control, configuration, climb, and checklist (AFH ch. 13). In that order — the sequence is the priority list.

Maintaining directional control with prompt and often aggressive rudder application and STOPPING THE YAW is critical to the safety of flight. Ensure airspeed stays above VMC (AFH ch. 13).

• If the yaw cannot be controlled with full rudder applied, reducing thrust on the operative engine is the only alternative
• Attempting to correct the roll with aileron without first applying rudder increases drag and adverse yaw and further degrades directional control
• After rudder stops the yaw, use a slight amount of aileron to bank toward the operative engine
• The pitch attitude for VYSE has to be lowered from that of VY
• Trim to reduce the control forces

Two different numbers, and confusing them costs performance (AFH ch. 13).

Initially: at least 5 degrees, maximum 10 degrees, toward the operative engine, to stop the yaw and establish directional control. This initial bank input is held only momentarily, just long enough to establish or ensure directional control.

Then: reduce to the zero-sideslip bank, because climb performance suffers when bank angles exceed approximately 2 or 3 degrees.

Obtaining and maintaining VYSE and directional control are paramount — you buy control first and performance second.

Rudder and ailerons used together in the proper combination (AFH ch. 13).

Bank: approximately 2 degrees toward the operative engine — the AFH gives a range of one and one-half to two and one-half degrees across models.

Ball: displaced approximately one-third to one-half of a ball width toward the operative engine.

The result is zero sideslip and maximum climb performance. Any other attitude increases drag. Note that VMC under these circumstances is higher than published, since less than the 5-degree certification bank is being used — an accepted trade.

Ball out toward the good engine, wing low toward the good engine, dead engine raised.

Most AFM/POHs direct the pilot to (AFH ch. 13):

1. Assume VYSE
2. Set takeoff power
3. Retract the flaps
4. Retract the landing gear (on some airplanes, gear before flaps)
5. Identify, verify, and feather the failed engine

Follow your AFM/POH and checklist — the specific procedures for your airplane govern.

• Identify — determine which engine failed. Identification should be primarily through the control inputs required to maintain straight flight, not the engine gauges. Depending on the failure mode, gauge confirmation may or may not be possible. Use dead foot — dead engine
• Verify — retard the throttle of the engine you believe has failed. No change in performance when that throttle is retarded is verification that the correct engine has been identified
• Feather — bring the corresponding propeller control fully aft

(AFH ch. 13)

This is not an oversight. The purpose of the memory items is to either initiate the appropriate action or to confirm that a condition exists — action on each item may not be required in every case (AFH ch. 13).

The memory items also apply to more than one circumstance. In an engine failure from a go-around, the landing gear and flaps would likely be extended when the failure occurred.

Differently — because altitude and airspeed buy you time for diagnosis and possible remedy (AFH ch. 13).

Maintaining airplane control is still paramount — airplanes have been lost at altitude due to apparent fixation on the engine problem to the detriment of flying the airplane.

Then take an orderly inventory of gauges and switches. Many cases of power loss are fuel starvation — try selecting another tank. Other options:

• Carburetor heat or alternate air
• Running on just one magneto or a lower power setting
• Altering the mixture
• Boost pump operation, if fuel vapor is suspected, to eliminate flow and pressure fluctuations

When it is catastrophic — a major mechanical failure that damages the engine and precludes further operation. Indicators:

• Heavy vibration
• Smoke
• Blistering paint
• Large trails of oil

Then (AFH ch. 13):

1. Feather the affected engine
2. Complete the securing failed engine checklist
3. Divert to the nearest suitable airport
4. Declare an emergency with ATC for priority handling

Because at low power settings the dramatic yaw and performance loss is absent — the pilot may not even be aware of a failure (AFH ch. 13).

If a failure is suspected, advance both engine mixtures, propellers, and throttles significantly — to the takeoff settings if necessary — to correctly identify the failed engine. The power on the operative engine can always be reduced later.

It clearly defines all pre-planned emergency actions to all crewmembers. Even flying alone, review and be familiar with takeoff emergency considerations — because indecision at the moment an emergency occurs degrades reaction time and the ability to make a proper response (AFH ch. 13).

An emergency contingency plan and safety brief should be clearly understood well before the takeoff roll commences.

Add the takeoff distance to 50 feet AGL and the stopping distance from 50 feet AGL. If the runway is no longer than that total, the odds are very good that if anything fails, it will be an off-runway landing at the least (AFH ch. 13).

Several factors (AFH ch. 13):

• Weight and balance
• Airplane performance (both single- and multiengine)
• Runway length, slope, and contamination
• Terrain and obstacles in the area
• Weather conditions
• Pilot proficiency

Before takeoff, confirm that weight and balance limitations have been observed, runway length is adequate, and the normal flightpath clears obstacles and terrain — then consider the appropriate action in the event of an engine failure at any point during the takeoff.

VMC. On takeoffs, the airplane should never be airborne before the airspeed exceeds VMC (AFH ch. 13).

Use the manufacturer's VR or VLOF. If no such speed is published, use a minimum of VMC plus 5 knots for VR.

Because experience has shown that excessive speed cannot be effectively converted into altitude in the event of an engine failure. After leaving the ground, altitude gain is more important than achieving an excess of airspeed — and additional altitude increases the time available to recognize and respond to any abnormality during the climb segment (AFH ch. 13).

But excessive climb attitudes are just as dangerous: they limit forward visibility and impede your ability to detect and avoid traffic. Accelerate in a shallow climb to VY, and maintain VY until reaching a safe single-engine maneuvering altitude — typically a minimum of 400 to 500 feet AGL (AFH ch. 13).

Because the speeds crowd VMC. VX and VXSE are often perilously close to VMC, leaving scant margin for error in the event of engine failure as VXSE is assumed. If flaps were used for takeoff, the situation becomes even more critical due to the additional drag (AFH ch. 13).

Two specific cautions:

Partial flaps: many light twins have a strong tendency to become airborne prior to VMC plus 5 knots. Preventing this with forward elevator pressure results in wheel barrowing — instead, allow the airplane to become airborne but only a few inches above the runway.

VX close to VMC: if VX is less than 5 knots higher than VMC, give strong consideration to reducing useful load or using another runway, so a short-field technique is not required.

The use of wing flaps for takeoff virtually eliminates the likelihood of a single-engine climb until the flaps are retracted (AFH ch. 13).

Normally, retract when there is insufficient runway available for landing and after a positive rate of climb is established as indicated on the altimeter (AFH ch. 13).

The competing pressures:

• Raising the gear as early as possible after liftoff drastically decreases the drag profile and significantly increases climb performance should an engine fail
• But leaving the gear down to land on sufficient runway or overrun is a much better option than landing with the gear retracted
• The landing gear should remain selected down as long as there is usable runway or overrun available to land on
• In some airplanes at high density altitude, a positive rate of climb with the gear down is not possible — waiting for one is not practicable

None of this justifies retracting the gear the moment the airplane lifts off as a normal procedure.

It gets fuel from a tank on one side to an operating engine on the other, for extended single-engine operation (AFH ch. 13).

• If a suitable airport is close at hand, there is no need to consider crossfeed
• If prolonged single-engine flight is inevitable due to airport non-availability, crossfeed allows use of fuel that would otherwise be unavailable — and lets you balance fuel consumption to avoid out-of-balance wing heaviness
• Prior to landing, terminate crossfeed and return the operating engine to its main tank

AFM/POH crossfeed procedures vary widely; selector positions and boost pump usage differ greatly among airplanes.

Deliberately and without undue haste — unless you suspect an engine fire (AFH ch. 13).

Airplane control should never be sacrificed to execute the remaining checklists. The priority items have already been accomplished from memory, and other than closing the cowl flap of the failed engine, none of the securing items, if left undone, adversely affect airplane climb performance. There is a distinct possibility of actuating an incorrect switch or control if the procedure is rushed.

Concentrate on flying the airplane and extracting maximum performance. If an ATC facility is available, declare an emergency.

Certain immediate action items — such as a response to an engine failure in a critical phase of flight — are best committed to memory. After they are accomplished, and as workload permits, compare the action taken with the checklist (AFH ch. 13).

If there is a procedural discrepancy between a checklist and the AFM/POH, the AFM/POH always takes precedence. Pilots who do not use a checklist effectively will be at a significant disadvantage in multiengine airplanes.

From the AFH (ch. 13):

• Never introduce an engine failure below VSSE. If no VSSE is published, use VYSE. Simulating a failure below VSSE introduces a very high and unnecessary training risk
• All in-flight simulated failures below 3,000 ft AGL should be introduced with a smooth reduction of the throttle, keeping the engine running and available for instant use
• On the takeoff ground roll, a failure may be simulated with the mixture control, introduced at a speed no greater than 50 percent of VMC
• Low-altitude simulated failures normally occur at a minimum of 400 ft AGL, and only after the learner has mastered engine-inoperative procedures at higher altitudes
• Pulling circuit breakers is not recommended for training and can lead to a subsequent gear-up landing
• No simulated engine failures during slow flight — the airplane will be well below VSSE and very close to VMC
• No simulated engine failures during stall entry and recovery

By eliminating ambiguity. When the learner retards a propeller control toward FEATHER, the instructor promptly moves it forward and sets zero thrust, then says words to the effect: "I have the right engine; you have the left. I have set zero thrust and the right engine is simulated feathered" (AFH ch. 13).

Any ambiguity as to who is operating what systems or controls increases the likelihood of an unintended outcome. The instructor then cares for the "failed" engine as the learner cares for the operative one — cowl flap normally closed, mixture leaned, and occasional clearing of the engine.