Making The Field

I had just been hired to instruct in the manufacturer’s authorized pilot training program for the Beechcraft Bonanza. Part of my orientation was a check flight with Norm, the lead instructor of Bonanza training (whom I was replacing as he moved up the product line). We were in an older A36 about 4000 feet over Anthony, Kan., when he reached over and pulled the throttle, choking off the Bonanza’s tired, TBO-busting IO-520 engine. I immediately found the local airport, pointed the Bonanza toward it, and transitioned to a glide as I stepped through the emergency checklist from memory. Norm declared my restart efforts moot, so I pulled the vernier prop control to the low rpm position and committed to a glide.

Key Takeaways:

• A common critical error during an engine-out glide is prematurely extending landing gear, which significantly increases drag and descent rate, causing the aircraft to fall short of the runway.
• For engine failures at cruise altitude, pilots should employ a controlled descending glide (such as a modified steep spiral or sedate gliding turn) while continuously assessing their ability to reach the chosen landing spot.
• Effective emergency landing planning involves visualizing key approach positions at specific altitudes and strategically delaying landing gear deployment to manage descent and ensure a safe, managed approach.

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