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Getting Tired of Tragic Accidents After Engine Failures on Takeoff? Yeah, Me Too

Engine failure accidents on takeoff are a controversial subject but one well worth the attention of GA pilots.

Attempts to make successful, emergency 180-degree returns to a runway on climbout are too often catastrophic. [iStock]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Engine failures immediately after takeoff frequently lead to fatal accidents when pilots instinctively attempt a dangerous 180-degree turn back to the runway.
  • This low-altitude turn-back maneuver is incredibly difficult to execute successfully in a real emergency due to factors like increased stall speed in a turn, pilot reaction time, and adverse flight conditions.
  • The author advises against attempting the hazardous turn back below a predetermined safe altitude, instead recommending pilots prioritize maintaining best glide speed and selecting the most suitable landing spot straight ahead.
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I was scribbling on the blank half of a magazine page with an ad for bed pillows as I thought about this column. It seemed appropriate to use “Me, Too” instead of “Us, Too” since it’s remotely possible some readers might disagree with me.

I’m a plain-Jane, single-engine-land private pilot with an instrument rating now, but I spent many years and lots of flight time instructing, testing, and examining, both in and out of the FAA. And, heaven knows, as well as the FAA and a large part of the flying and nonflying world, that I don’t always play by the rules. But there’s a particular emergency that bothers me and needs discussion because tragic accidents related to it keep happening.

Martha Lunken

Martha Lunken is a lifelong pilot, former FAA inspector and defrocked pilot examiner. She flies a Cessna 180 and anything with a tailwheel, from Cubs to DC-3s.

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