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What do pilots do if both engines fail?

Published in Emergency Procedures 2 mins read

If both engines fail simultaneously, a pilot will perform an emergency landing.

Emergency Landing Procedure

When faced with a dual engine failure, pilots follow a specific set of procedures, prioritizing safety and attempting to land the aircraft with minimal risk. According to the reference provided:

  • The pilot will perform an emergency landing.
  • As the airplane descends and decelerates, the pilot will begin to search for a safe area to perform an emergency landing.
  • Ideally, the pilot will land on a nearby landing strip.

Key Actions

The pilot's actions can be summarized as follows:

  1. Maintain Aircraft Control: The immediate priority is to maintain control of the aircraft. This involves setting the aircraft to its best glide speed.

  2. Attempt Restart: Pilots will attempt to restart the engines, following emergency checklists. Sometimes engine failure can be due to a simple problem that can be rectified in flight.

  3. Locate Suitable Landing Site: The pilot will identify potential landing sites, considering factors such as:

    • Length and surface of the landing area.
    • Obstacles in the approach path.
    • Wind direction.
  4. Prepare for Landing: Configure the aircraft for landing, including extending flaps and landing gear (if time permits and the situation allows).

  5. Communicate (if possible): If able, the pilot will communicate the emergency situation and intended landing location to air traffic control.

  6. Execute Emergency Landing: The pilot will perform the landing, aiming for the selected site.

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