Chair flying / Engine Failure in Cruise (ABCDE)
Engine Failure in Cruise (ABCDE)
Immediate actions for a power loss in cruise: fly the airplane, commit to a field, attempt a restart, declare, and execute the forced landing.
Immediate Actions — ABCDE
- A — Airspeed: pitch for best glide (73 kt) and trim for hands-off glide
- B — Best field: pick the landing spot NOWInto wind, flat, long, no obstacles. Commit early — a good landing in a field beats a bad landing short of a runway.
- C — Checklist: attempt restart if altitude permitsFuel selector → proper/fullest tank · Mixture → RICH · Electric fuel pump → ON · Magnetos → check L / R / BOTH · Primer → in and locked.
- D — Declare: squawk 7700, MAYDAY on frequency or 121.5
- E — Execute: fly the approach and secure before touchdownFinal: fuel selector OFF · Mixture idle cutoff · Mags OFF · Master OFF · Doors unlatched · Belts tight · Brief passengers.
Common errors
- Fixating on the restart instead of flying toward the field
- Letting airspeed decay below best glide while troubleshooting
- Committing to the field too late