How to handle the emergency

An emergency approach and landing simulates the complete engine-out forced landing — from the moment the engine fails through the touchdown. The maneuver is sequenced: fly the airplane first, identify a field, attempt restart, communicate, execute the approach. The pedagogy is that flying takes priority over troubleshooting — the engine failure has already happened, but the airplane is still gliding, and the pilot's first job is to keep it flying toward a landing area.

The no-go-around reality. Every other landing task in Area IV (Normal B, Soft D, Short F) has a go-around (H) as a safety valve. Engine-out forced landing does not. You commit to the field, and the field is where you land. Treat the decision to commit as the only landing decision you'll make.

Establish best glide — immediately

The instant the engine fails:

1. Pitch for V_BG (best glide airspeed, published in the POH — typically 65–70 KIAS in a trainer).
2. Trim for V_BG so the airplane is gliding hands-off.
3. Verify: ASI at V_BG, altimeter showing the available altitude, attitude stable.

This is the highest priority. Engine failure feels like a moment to troubleshoot ("what just happened?"), but the airplane is gliding — losing altitude — and the pilot's first job is to convert the glide into stability. Pitch first; everything else after.

Identify a landing area

With the airplane stable at V_BG:

1. Look outside. What's in glide range?
2. Apply field-selection criteria:
   • Closest first. Closer is better than larger if larger is too far to reach.
   • Surface. Smooth (cropland, pasture, road) beats rough (forest, water for non-amphibious airplane).
   • Size. Long enough for the airplane's landing roll. A trainer needs ~600–1,000 ft for a controlled landing roll.
   • Wind. Land into the wind if possible — reduces touchdown speed.
   • Obstacles. Power lines, fences, structures. The lower the obstacle, the longer the usable field.
   • Slope. Uphill landings reduce roll-out distance.
3. Commit early. The decision should be made within the first 30 seconds of the engine failure. Indecision wastes altitude.

Typical glide range from 3,000 ft AGL in a trainer at V_BG: 5–7 nm. From 1,500 ft AGL: 2–3 nm. Pick something within that range; don't try to glide to a distant airport if a closer field is available.

Attempt restart

With the field selected and the airplane stable:

1. Run the engine-failure checklist from memory or the POH:
   • Fuel selector — both / correct tank (often the most common cause: fuel-starvation from one empty tank).
   • Mixture — rich (especially at altitude where it may have been leaned).
   • Throttle — partial (mid-position) for restart attempt.
   • Carb heat — on (if carburetor icing is possible).
   • Boost pump — on (if equipped).
   • Magnetos — both / start position depending on the airplane.
   • Primer — locked if applicable.
2. Listen for engine response. If the engine catches, troubleshoot can become diversion; if not, continue the forced-landing sequence.

The restart attempt is not the priority — it's third in the sequence after fly and identify. A pilot who fixates on restart and stops flying has prioritized incorrectly.

Communicate

With the field selected and restart attempted (successful or not):

1. Declare the emergency: "Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, Cessna 12345, engine failure, attempting forced landing near [position]."
2. Squawk 7700 (general emergency squawk).
3. Tune 121.5 if not on a controller frequency (emergency frequency, monitored by ATC and some aircraft).
4. Brief passengers: doors unlocked before touchdown, seatbelts tight, secure loose items, brace position.

The communication is brief and complete. ATC may provide guidance (nearest airport, vector, traffic) — listen, but don't let the radio interfere with flying.

Execute the approach

With altitude, field, and configuration sorted:

1. Fly toward the field using a high-key / low-key pattern adapted to the available altitude:
   • High key: a point above the intended touchdown area at altitude (typical 1,500–2,000 ft AGL); the airplane arrives here with surplus altitude.
   • Low key: a point abeam the intended touchdown spot at lower altitude (typical 800–1,000 ft AGL); the airplane is closer and committed.
   • From low key, fly the base and final as in a normal traffic pattern, but without power to control descent rate.
2. Configure for landing only when assured of reaching the field:
   • First notch of flaps when assured of making the field.
   • Full flaps only on short final when the touchdown point is committed.
   • Gear down (if retractable) only when the runway / field is assured (some pilots leave gear up on rough fields to avoid nose-over).
3. Hold V_BG on the way to the field; transition to V_REF for the final approach when configured.

Touchdown

1. Touch down at the slowest controlled speed — minimum energy.
2. Touchdown attitude: nose-up, mains first (cross-ref to IV.B HOW for the technique).
3. Hold the nose off as long as elevator authority allows — same as soft-field landing (IV.D HOW), for the same reasons.
4. Brakes if usable and surface allows; otherwise let the field's drag stop the airplane.
5. Secure the airplane post-landing: master off, mixture cut-off, fuel selector off, doors open.

Common pitfall: stretching the glide. A pilot who's slightly short of the field instinctively pulls up to "stretch" the glide. The airplane slows below V_BG, drag increases (back side of the power curve), descent rate increases, the airplane lands shorter than if V_BG had been held. The fix: hold V_BG; if you're short, you're short — pick a closer field next time, or commit to landing short of the intended spot rather than stalling above it.