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:

Upon engine failure, estimate your glide range (roughly eight times your height above terrain) and prioritize selecting a nearby, safer landing area over a distant, ideal one.
To achieve the best glide, slow the aircraft to its best rate-of-climb speed and manage the propeller by opening the throttle fully and setting constant-speed props to the lowest RPM to reduce drag.
Prepare for landing by securing yourself (seat back, belts tight); turn off fuel for rough landings, and keep flaps and gear retracted until in final position, then deploy full flaps.

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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.