What Should a Pilot Do if a Single Engine Quits in Cruise?

Here's how to handle the throttle, propeller, and other controls to get the best glide if the engine in a single quits.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 09:56 AM ET

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Most piston singles, like this Tecnam, can glide eight times their height above the terrain. [Courtesy: Tecnam Aircraft/Krzysztof Niewiadomski]

Key Takeaways:

Prioritize landing at a nearby safe location within your practical glide range (approximately 8 times your height above terrain), even if it's not a paved runway.
Optimize your aircraft for best glide by slowing to your best rate-of-climb speed, opening the throttle fully (if the prop is windmilling), and setting a constant-speed prop to the lowest RPM.
Prepare for landing by keeping flaps and gear retracted until final approach (then use full flaps), turning off fuel if landing in the rough, sliding your seat back, and tightening your belts.

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Question: If the engine in a single quits in cruise, what should I do with the throttle, propeller, and other controls to get the best glide?

Answer: Most singles can glide eight times their height above the terrain. If you’re at 7,500 feet and the local elevation is 700 feet, you’re about one and a quarter miles above the ground, so don’t pick a place to land outside a 10-mile radius. Don’t count on achieving the longest possible lide—better a nearby cornfield than a distant runway.