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.

Martha Lunken

Tuesday, March 19, 2024 at 08:57 AM ET

Verified

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

Key Takeaways:

The article highlights that attempts to make a 180-degree turn back to the runway after an engine failure on takeoff are frequently catastrophic, despite pilots often being trained on the maneuver.
Successfully executing this emergency turn back at low altitudes is extremely challenging due to the startle factor, rapid altitude loss, and increased stall speeds in uncoordinated turns, often leading to fatal stalls.
Instead of attempting a dangerous turn back, pilots are advised to immediately establish best glide speed and select the best available landing spot straight ahead if they are not at a sufficiently high altitude to safely return.

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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.