Emergency landing

Aircraft sometimes have to resort to emergency landings when any critical problem is discovered. Other reasons for an emergency landing could be a hijack scare or weather problems.

Related Topics:
Aircraft - Hijack

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In a light aircraft, an emergency landing is most often the result of an engine failure, which has many possible causes. For a single-engined aircraft, there is naturally no option but to initiate an emergency landing. An engine restart may be attempted if there is time.

Related Topics:
Light aircraft - Engine failure

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The emergency landing procedure consists of essentially picking a place to land and then carrying out a controlled and deliberate glide descent as if the chosen spot were an airfield. This usually involves completing a circuit or truncated (short) circuit followed by a straightforward landing at the chosen site. Practicing the drill for this procedure is a large part of the syllabus for the private pilot's license.

Related Topics:
Glide descent - Circuit - Private pilot's license

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The emergency landing procedure consists of the following general steps. Note this should not be taken as an official text on the subject, pilots must refer to an approved text and a flight instructor.

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At first indication of an engine failure (prop stops, etc):

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• Immediately adopt the "best glide" attitude. This will usually result in a small gain in height, reduction in airspeed and a more nose-up attitude.
• Apply carburetor heat, if applicable. This might help clear any icing present, which might be the cause of the engine stoppage.
• Select a landing site, taking into account the wind conditions, the height and therefore gliding range of the aircraft. Usually the selected site will be one fairly close to the current position, since it is far easier to lose height than to gain it. The pilot must rapidly plan a circuit around the selected site that will bring him onto finals into wind with enough landing run available. In practice the circuit can be modified as needed as the situation develops. The landing site must be large enough to get into, not be too rough, encumbered by overhead electrical wires, trees, livestock, etc.
• If possible, send out a Mayday call either on the currently selected channel, or on the emergency channel allocated for the area. The pilot should give as much information as possible about his position, etc.
• If there is time and height available, attempt to restart the engine.
• Assuming a restart was unsuccessful, carry out the pre-landing checks (see BUMPH). For an emergency landing, it is usual to unlatch the aircraft's doors ready for a quick escape after landing, rather than securing them. Also, harnesses are usually much more tightly secured.
• All the time the pilot must be flying the adopted circuit and checking his progress. On the downwind leg he will need to judge the turn onto base leg so that he will get into the chosen landing site. This may involve flying a curved base leg onto finals - it is more important to get into the field safely than to fly a textbook circuit, and trying to "stretch" the glide to make a more distant field can be a fatal error - the aircraft can stall and crash short of the "runway". Much safer and easier to make a steeper glide descent from a greater height, applying full flap if possible.
• Once the aircraft has touched down and rolled to a stop, it should be secured and vacated, and the emergency services contacted as soon as possible.
• If over water, in some respects the situation is simplified, though more likely to have a poor outcome. The pilot should ditch parallel to any waves, and at as slow a speed as possible. Rapid evacuation is essential, as is the use of a life jacket as soon as one is clear of the aircraft.