4E Emergencies - Emergency Landing

Question 0

1. If an engine failure has occurred while en route and a forced landing is imminent, what procedures should be followed? (POH)

Answer 0

a. Establish an airspeed of 75 KIAS.
b. Begin a scan for an appropriate field for landing using the following order of preference:
• Paved airport
• Unpaved airport
• Paved road with no obstacles
• Unpaved road with no obstacles
• Grass field
• Plowed field
• Lakes or ponds
• Trees or other structures
c. Attempt an engine restart.
d. Set your transponder to “7700.”
e. Transmit a “mayday” message on either the frequency in use or 121.5.
f. Begin to spiral down over the approach end of the selected landing site.
g. On your final approach complete the forced landing checklist.

Question 1

2. Immediately before touchdown in a forced landing procedure, what items should be completed?

Answer 1

The Emergency Landing Checklist should be completed:

a. Establish an airspeed with flaps up of 75 KIAS and with flaps down of 65 KIAS.
b. Set the mixture control to “Idle Cut-Off.”
c. Set the fuel selector valve to “Off.”
d. Turn the ignition switch to “Off.”
e. Select the landing down or up depending on terrain.
f. Set the wing flaps as required (30 degrees is recommended).
g. Make sure doors are unlatched prior to touchdown.
h. Turn the master switch to “Off.”
i. Make your touchdown with the tail slightly low.
j. Apply brakes heavily.

Question 2

3. In an engine failure situation, what glide ratio will be obtained if the best-glide airspeed is maintained?

Answer 2

A loss of 600 feet per 1 nautical mile (i.e., an aircraft at 3,000 feet AGL would have a maximum gliding distance of 5 miles).

Question 3

4. If a forced landing is imminent, should the landing gear be left up, or down and locked?

Answer 3

There can’t be a hard and fast rule concerning the position of a retractable landing gear at touchdown. In rugged terrain and trees, or during impacts at high sink rate, an extended gear would definitely have a protective effect on the cockpit/cabin area. But weigh this advantage against the possible side effects of a collapsing gear, such as a ruptured fuel tank. As always, the manufacturer’s recommendations as outlined in the AFM/POH should be followed. When a normal touchdown is assured, and ample stopping distance is available, a gear-up landing on level-but-soft terrain, or across a plowed field, may result in less airplane damage than a gear-down landing.

Question 4

5. If an engine failure has occurred while over water, and you are beyond power-off gliding distance to land, what procedures should be followed? (POH)

Answer 4

a. Set your transponder to “7700” and broadcast a “mayday” message on the frequency in use or 121.5 MHz.
b. Make sure all heavy objects are secured or, if possible, jettison them.
c. Select landing gear up.
d. Set flaps to 20–30 degrees.
e. Set power (if available) so as to establish 300 fpm descent and 60 KIAS.
f. Approach and land parallel to heavy sea swells when in light winds, and approach and land into the wind when high winds and heavy seas exist.
g. If no power is available establish an approach airspeed of 70 KIAS with flaps up or 65 KIAS with 10 degrees flap.
h. Open all cabin doors prior to touchdown.
i. Initiate your touchdown in a level flight attitude.
j. Just prior to touchdown, protect body with life vests, clothing, etc.
k. After touchdown, begin evacuation of the airplane. Open the windows to equalize pressure if the doors do not open easily.
l. Inflate life vests and raft if available.