Home:Personal:Aviation:Emergency Procedures

⚠ The information on this Web site is intended as a study guide, and clearly not as a subsitute for official sources.
Situation Checklist
Engine Failure During Takeoff Run
•Throttle: Idle Prevent becoming inadvertently airborne, and stop on the remaining runway.
Don't adjust the fuel selector because this would distract from maintaining runway centerline.
•Brakes: Apply Maintain runway centerline, then exit runway when safe but before aircraft comes to a halt.
•Flaps: Retract
•Mixture: Idle/Cut-off
•Ignition Switch: Off
•Call: Tower, declare engine failure, request assistance/towing. Do not try to restart the engine.
•Master: Off
Engine Failure Immediately After Takeoff
•Airspeed: Best Glide by pitching forward Establish best glide speed (when flaps up 65 KIAS, when flaps down 60 KIAS) to maximize landing/ditching options.
•Mixture: Idle/Cut-off Below 800 ft AGL, use field/road within ±45° lateral;
Above 800 ft AGL, return to airport.
Prevent the engine from restarting and catching fire.
•Fuel Selector: Off
•Ignition Switch: Off
•Call: Tower, declare EMERGENCY, engine failure, and intentions. Do not try to restart the engine.
•Flaps: As Required Base: 10°; Final: 20°; Short final: 40° Once flaps are lowered, you are committed to landing.
•Master: Off Flaps won't operate when master power is off.
Engine Failure During Flight
•Airspeed: Best Glide by pitching forward Establish best glide speed (when flaps up 65 KIAS, when flaps down 60 KIAS) to maximize landing/ditching options.
•Throttle: Full Trying to restore engine power. Immediately counteract any obvious cause (icing, excessively lean mixture, fuel starvation).
Using a different setting on the fuel selector may counteract a problem with the fuel system.
•Carburetor Heat: On
•Fuel Selector: Different
•Mixture: Rich
Flow check Try to identify the cause of power loss.
•Primer: In and Locked If the primer is left open and is leaking fuel, the engine may catch fire when restarted.
•Ignition: propeller restarting: Both
propeller stopped: Start
The previous actions may already have allowed the engine to restore power without requiring a restart.
Engine Fire During Start on Ground
•Ignition: Start Continue cranking Trying to get a start which would suck flames and accumulated fuel through the carburetor and into the engine.
If engine starts: In all cases, do not try to restart the engine but call for assistance, inspect, and repair damage.
•Ignition: Both
•Power: 1700 RPM
•Engine: Shut Down
If engine fails to start:
•Ignition: Start Continue cranking
•Throttle: Full
•Mixture: Idle/Cut-Off
•Master: Off Secure engine
•Ignition Switch: Off
•Fuel Selector: Off
Obtain a fire extinguisher, and put out engine fire
Engine Fire in Flight
•Mixture: Idle/Cut-Off Stop the engine to prevent further development of the fire.
•Fuel Selector: Off
•Master: Off
•Cabin Heat and Vent: Close Overhead vents are OK. Prevent smoke and fumes from entering the cabin.
•Airspeed: 100 KIAS Trying to establish an air flow that will extinguish the flames.
Execute Forced Landing
Wing Fire in Flight
•Navigation Light: Off Trying to remove any ignition source for the remaining fuel.
•Strobe: Off
•Pitot Heat: Off
•Fuel Selector: Opposite wing on fire Trying to prevent fire from reaching through the fuel system to the engine or other tank.
•Power: Idle Trying to establish an air flow that will extinguish the flames.
Execute steep 45° turn directed opposite wing on fire
Electrical Fire in Flight
•Master: Off Try to remove the fire's ignition source.
•Avionics: Off
•All Electrical Switches (except Magnetos): Off
•Cabin Heat and Vent: Close (overhead vents Open) Prevent smoke and fumes from entering the cabin.
•Extinguish fire Then, ventilate the cabin with overhead vents and windows. Remove extinguisher products from the cabin air.
If fire appears out, and electrical power is necessary for continuation of flight:
•Radios: Off Prepare to restart electrical equipment one-by-one.
•Avionics: Off
•Master: On Identify the cause of the electrical problem, and note what equipment is inoperative.
•Circuit Breakers: Check but do not reset
•Electrical Switches: One by one, On, delaying between each to ensure no short circuit and fire
•Cabin Heat and Vent: Open Remove remaining smoke and fumes from the cabin.
Cabin Fire
•Master: Off Prevent secondary electrical fires?
•Cabin Heat and Vent: Close (including overhead vents) Prevent drafts which would provide an oxygen source and spread flames.
Over-voltage Light
•Avionics: Off If the source of the over-voltage has disappeared, or the circuit triggered spuriously, try resetting the over-voltage circuit.
Note: It appears at least some Skyhawks actually have an under, not an over, voltage indicator.
•Master: Off
•Master: On Verify over-voltage indicator remains Off.
•Avionics: On
Continuous Electrical Discharge
•Master Alternator: Off Since the alternator is not providing power, it can only represent an electrical load.
•Switch Off unnecessary electrical equipment Minimize battery power usage.
Static Source Blockage
•Alternate Static: On Compensate airspeed readings in POH calibration tables If the windows are closed, the calibration is negligible.

Sources: Pilot's Operating Handbook, instructors, and commercial check lists.

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