Commercial pilot · ACS CA.VII.D
Accelerated Stalls
An accelerated stall is a stall caused by load factor: in a coordinated 45° bank, you add back pressure smoothly and firmly until the stall is imminent, then recover.
Why this one matters
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.
Can’t miss
- •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)
What you should know
The aerodynamics K1 · K2
- 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 K3 · K4 · R4 · R7
- 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 R1 · R2 · R3 · R5
- 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 R6 · R8
- 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))
On the flight
ACS standards
- 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.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.D.S2-S5)
- Acknowledge the first cue, recover per the POH, configure and accelerate to VX or VY, and return to the assigned altitude, heading and airspeed.(Commercial Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-7B), CA.VII.D.S6-S9)
What your instructor is watching for
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.
Scenarios
Decide what you would do first, then see the worked answer.
In a 45° bank you feel the buffet earlier than you expected at a fairly high airspeed.
What do you do? See the worked answer
Relax the back pressure, shallow the bank, keep coordinated; it's an accelerated stall cue.
AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training
The airplane is lightly loaded and VA in the POH is given for max gross weight.
What does that mean? See the worked answer
VA is lower at lower weight; fly the maneuver at a speed below the reduced VA.
PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight
After a stall recovery, you pull hard to stop the descent and the buffet returns.
What happened? See the worked answer
A secondary, accelerated stall. Release back pressure and recover again, then ease out gradually.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins
Common mistakes
Entering above VA.
An abrupt pull could overstress the airplane.
Instead: Set power and speed at or below VA.
Pulling abruptly instead of smoothly.
It can cause a violent break and a wing drop.
Instead: Smooth, firm back pressure.
Holding the bank and back pressure after the cue.
The stall deepens and can roll into a spin.
Instead: Unload at the first cue, then level the wings.
Now train it
Say it out loud, hear it asked, and take the quick check in this lesson’s practice pack. It tracks your shaky spots.
Got it?
When it feels solid, practice accelerated stalls out loud with our examiner.
Your progress is saved in this browser. Create a free account to keep it on every device, with your shaky spots and mock oral results in one place.
Go to the source (free)
Teaching this? The instructor lesson plan →
Sources
- 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
Study aid, not FAA guidance. Regulations change; check the current text at eCFR and the ACS. Checked against current sources 2026-11-13.