Commercial pilot · ACS CA.VII.D · Instructor lesson plan

Accelerated Stalls

Student pack: Train: Accelerated Stalls · Full lesson: Prepare guide

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1 · Objective

By the end of this lesson your student can explain accelerated stalls in their own words, apply it in a realistic situation, and fly it to the ACS standard for CA.VII.D.

Why it matters for safety: Pilots often think of stalls as a slow-speed problem, so a stall at cruise-like speeds catches them off guard: in a steep turn back to the runway, a tight pattern, or an aggressive pull. The accelerated stall teaches that angle of attack, not airspeed, is what matters, and that a hard pull can stall the wing at any speed.

2 · Assign before the lesson

Pre-work: the free Train pack, Accelerated Stalls. A stall at higher than normal airspeed, from load factor: recognize it in a 45° bank and recover at the first cue.

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Pack: pilotprep.pro/train/cpl/accelerated-stalls · Full lesson: pilotprep.pro/prepare/cpl/accelerated-stalls

3 · Teach sequence

Key points to land

An accelerated stall is any stall at more than 1 G: at a higher-than-normal airspeed in a steep turn, a pull-up, a dive recovery or any abrupt pull. The coordinated 45° bank with smooth, firm back pressure is just how the ACS demonstrates it.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
Stall speed rises with the square root of the load factor: at 45° of bank the load factor is about 1.4 G and the stall speed about 19% higher.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
Fly it at or below the weight-adjusted maneuvering speed (VA), clean (never with flaps, which have lower G limits), and not at all if the POH prohibits it. At or below VA, one full, abrupt deflection usually stalls the wing before the limit load; repeated, combined or multi-axis inputs, or gusts, can still overstress it.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.D.S4; Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Accelerated stalls can be sudden and violent, and if uncoordinated one wing can stall first and roll the airplane: recover at the first cue.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Recovery: Disconnect the autopilot or wing leveler if engaged; reduce the angle of attack until the stall warning stops; if a wing drops, check the yaw with rudder and keep the ailerons near neutral until the wing is flying, then level the wings with coordinated aileron and rudder; add power as needed (watching for left-turning tendency and pitch-up); then return to the desired flight path. The goal is to get the wing flying again, not to save altitude: minimum altitude loss comes from a correct recovery, and holding the nose up to save altitude causes a secondary stall.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
Real-world setups: a steep turn to final, a pull-up after a low pass, a hard pull in a recovery (a secondary stall).(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Commercial standard: a coordinated 45° bank, back pressure increased smoothly and firmly to an impending stall; choose an entry altitude so the task is completed no lower than 3,000 feet AGL (enter at about 3,500 to 4,000).(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.D.S2, S5)

The aerodynamics

Load factor raises the stall speed with its square root: 1.4 G at 45° bank (about 19% higher), 2 G at 60° (about 41% higher).(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
Below VA a single abrupt full deflection stalls the wing before it exceeds the limit load factor; above VA, it could overstress it. VA drops as weight drops (the published one is for maximum gross weight).(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
Weight raises the stall speed at any load factor. A forward CG raises it and makes the critical angle harder to reach; an aft CG lowers it slightly but lightens the elevator, makes over-rotation easier and worsens stall and spin recovery.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
The break can be sharper than a normal stall, and the airplane may roll toward the low or high wing if not coordinated.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)

How it's flown

Choose a practice area clear of terrain, obstacles and wires, with a forced-landing option in mind; clear it with clearing turns before each maneuver, and keep looking outside while you fly it, especially when the high nose blocks the view ahead.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Enter high enough to finish no lower than 3,000 feet AGL. Clean configuration, power set so the airspeed stays at or below VA and other POH limits.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.D.S2-S4)
Roll into a coordinated 45° bank, then increase back pressure smoothly and firmly until the first stall cue.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.D.S5)
Recover at the first cue: Disconnect the autopilot or wing leveler if engaged; reduce the angle of attack until the stall warning stops; if a wing drops, check the yaw with rudder and keep the ailerons near neutral until the wing is flying, then level the wings with coordinated aileron and rudder; add power as needed (watching for left-turning tendency and pitch-up); then return to the desired flight path. The goal is to get the wing flying again, not to save altitude: minimum altitude loss comes from a correct recovery, and holding the nose up to save altitude causes a secondary stall. Then climb at VX or VY and return to the assigned altitude, heading and airspeed.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
Prevent it: no steep turns at low altitude, no aggressive pulls, and ease out of any dive gradually.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)

Warnings, secondary stalls and spins

Stall warnings (horn, light) must start at least 5 knots above the stall in each configuration, typically 5 to 10 knots (check the POH), and continue to the stall; they are angle-of-attack driven and can fail, and in an accelerated stall the warning comes at a higher speed. Buffet differs between airplanes. Know the other cues: mushy controls, quieter air noise, a high nose, sink.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
A stall warning in a turn means unload: relax back pressure and shallow the bank.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
A secondary stall is often accelerated: pulling too hard out of a stall recovery. An uncoordinated accelerated stall can roll into a spin quickly.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Cross-control stall: a skidding base-to-final turn with inside rudder, opposite aileron and back pressure; the low wing stalls first and the airplane rolls sharply toward it with little warning. Go around rather than tighten the turn. In the recovery, don't pick up a dropped wing with aileron while it's still stalled: unload first, stop the roll and yaw with rudder, then level the wings with coordinated controls.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)

Environment and attention

Turbulence and gusts change the angle of attack suddenly; a microburst or wind shear can drop the airspeed in seconds; at high density altitude there is less power to recover with, and the true airspeed at the stall is higher.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
Distraction is how stalls happen in real flying: a frequency change, a passenger, traffic. Keep a scan outside and inside, and if in doubt, lower the nose first.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))

Watch for in the airplane: Your instructor watches for an entry below VA, a coordinated 45° bank, smooth and firm back pressure, recovery at the first cue, wings leveled with coordinated controls, and no secondary stall.

4 · Ask your student

In order: recall, then understanding, then applying it. Move up only when the answer shows it.

Recall · What causes an accelerated stall?
A strong answer: Load factor: exceeding the critical angle of attack in a steep turn or an abrupt pull, at a higher airspeed than the normal stall speed.
Understand · Why is it flown below VA?
A strong answer: Below maneuvering speed the wing stalls before it can exceed the limit load factor, so the airplane can't be overstressed.
Apply · After an engine failure just after takeoff, you think about turning back to the runway. What does this lesson tell you?
A strong answer: A steep turn at low altitude raises the stall speed and invites an accelerated stall, likely a spin. Land generally straight ahead unless you have the altitude and a practiced plan for the turn.

Scenarios to talk through

In a 45° bank you feel the buffet earlier than you expected at a fairly high airspeed. What do you do?
Sound decision: Relax the back pressure, shallow the bank, keep coordinated; it's an accelerated stall cue.
The airplane is lightly loaded and VA in the POH is given for max gross weight. What does that mean?
Sound decision: VA is lower at lower weight; fly the maneuver at a speed below the reduced VA.
After a stall recovery, you pull hard to stop the descent and the buffet returns. What happened?
Sound decision: A secondary, accelerated stall. Release back pressure and recover again, then ease out gradually.

5 · Common student errors

Entering above VA.
Why it matters: An abrupt pull could overstress the airplane.
How to correct it: Set power and speed at or below VA.
Pulling abruptly instead of smoothly.
Why it matters: It can cause a violent break and a wing drop.
How to correct it: Smooth, firm back pressure.
Holding the bank and back pressure after the cue.
Why it matters: The stall deepens and can roll into a spin.
How to correct it: Unload at the first cue, then level the wings.

6 · Completion standard

Begin no lower than 3,000 feet AGL; airspeed at or below VA and POH limits; a coordinated 45° bank with back pressure increased smoothly and firmly to an impending stall.
Acknowledge the first cue, recover per the POH, configure and accelerate to VX or VY, and return to the assigned altitude, heading and airspeed.
Your student answers each "Ask your student" question in their own words, up to the Apply level, without prompting.
They talk through the scenarios and reach a safe, legal decision, explaining why.
They complete the pack’s quick check and can say what they flagged.

Area trained? Close out with a practice oral focused on CA.VII.D: pilotprep.pro/exam?exam=CPL&focus=CA.VII.D

7 · References

Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Slow flight, stalls and spins; multiengine airplanes
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight
AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training
AC 61-67C, Stall and Spin Awareness Training
Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), Area VII
Your airplane's POH/AFM, stall recovery, speeds and limitations
Airman Certification Standards, task CA.VII.D

PilotPrep instructor lesson plan, from the Accelerated Stalls lesson (checked against current FAA sources 2026-11-13). A study and teaching aid, not FAA guidance; teach to your own judgment and the current ACS.