Private pilot · ACS PA.IX.G
Approach and Landing with an Inoperative Engine (Simulated)
An approach on one engine looks like a normal one flown with more care: the same pattern, blue line until the landing is certain, and only the final flaps held back.
This lesson is written for multi-engine land or multi-engine sea. You picked single-engine land: speeds, altitudes and procedures differ, so follow your POH/AFM and your instructor.
Why this one matters
Landing on one engine is usually routine; the accidents come from getting low and slow, or from trying a go-around the airplane can't fly. A normal pattern, blue line until the landing is assured, and a firm commitment to land keep it routine.
Can’t miss
- •Fly essentially a normal two-engine pattern: the same altitudes and key positions. Gear down no later than abeam the point of intended landing; partial flaps in stages; only the final flap setting waits until landing is assured.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- •No slower than VYSE until landing is assured; then slow to the POH landing speed (or about 1.3 VSO for the flap setting).(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes; Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.IX.G.S6)
- •Once on final with gear and flaps extended, you are committed to land: a single-engine go-around from there may be impossible, and cleaning up at VYSE commonly costs 500 feet or more.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- •If an engine fails on final in the landing configuration, leave the gear and flaps down, fly the airplane and land.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- •Zero sideslip, the least drag on one engine: bank about 2-3° toward the operating engine with the ball one-third to one-half out toward it, and rudder to hold heading. A centered ball with the wings level is a sideslip that costs climb and raises VMC.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- •Private pilot standard: the manufacturer's approach speed +10/-5 knots in the landing configuration, stabilized until landing is assured; touchdown in the first third, no drift, on the centerline.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.IX.G.S6, S8)
- •Declare an emergency, choose an airport with the runway for a faster, partial-flap landing, and complete the checklists.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes; Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.IX.G.S4, S10)
What you should know
VMC and speeds K1 · K2
- Published VMC (the red line) is the slowest speed at which you can keep control with the critical engine suddenly inoperative, then hold straight flight with no more than 5° of bank. It is set under fixed conditions: sea-level standard day; maximum takeoff power on the operating engine; the critical engine windmilling with its propeller control in the takeoff position; the most unfavorable weight (the lightest) and the most unfavorable (aft) center of gravity; gear up; wing and cowl flaps and trim in the takeoff position; out of ground effect; no more than 5° of bank toward the operating engine; heading held within 20° with no more than 150 pounds of rudder force.(14 CFR 23.149 (now 23.2135); Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Your real VMC differs whenever the conditions do. It goes up with a windmilling propeller (feathering lowers it), an aft CG, lighter weight, more power on the operating engine, and less bank toward it. It goes down with less power (a normally aspirated engine at altitude; a turbocharged one only above its critical altitude), gear extended (keel effect), and ground effect.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Bank matters most: VMC rises more than 3 knots for each degree of bank less than 5°, and with the wings level control can be lost almost 20 knots above the published red line. Up to 5° toward the operating engine is the certification number, not the way you fly.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- The critical engine is the one whose failure is hardest to control: on twins with both propellers turning clockwise (seen from behind), the left, because of P-factor, accelerated slipstream, spiraling slipstream and torque. Twins with counter-rotating propellers (a Seminole or a Duchess) have no critical engine.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- VMC (red line): minimum control speed. VYSE (blue line): best rate of climb, or least loss, on one engine. VXSE: best angle on one engine. VSSE: safe single-engine speed, the slowest at which an engine may be intentionally failed in training.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
Identify, feather and secure K3 · K4 · K5
- The airborne flow, as the POH gives it: control first (rudder, bank toward the operating engine), pitch for blue line; mixtures, propellers, throttles forward; gear and flaps up once you are committed to fly; identify ("dead foot, dead engine"); verify; feather; then secure by the checklist.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes; Your airplane's POH/AFM)
- Verify by slowly closing the throttle of the engine you identified: no change in yaw or sound confirms it. If the yaw gets worse or the airplane loses power, that is the good engine: advance it at once and identify again. An engine still making useful power can be left running until you have altitude and speed.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Secure the dead engine by the checklist (mixture idle cutoff, fuel off, magnetos and alternator off, cowl flap closed), then monitor the operating engine's temperatures and the electrical load on its single alternator.(Your airplane's POH/AFM)
- Zero sideslip, the least drag on one engine: bank about 2-3° toward the operating engine with the ball one-third to one-half out toward it, and rudder to hold heading. A centered ball with the wings level is a sideslip that costs climb and raises VMC.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Two different bank numbers: up to 5° toward the operating engine is the certification limit for VMC; about 2-3° is how you fly zero sideslip.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- In a simulated failure you touch and name the propeller control instead of feathering; the instructor or evaluator then sets zero thrust, a power setting that matches a feathered propeller's drag, and is responsible for restoring power if it's needed.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
The approach R1 · R3 · R6
- By phase: a failure in the pattern gets the airborne flow; a failure on final, configured to land, gets no clean-up: keep it configured and land.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Normal pattern altitudes and key positions; gear confirmed down no later than abeam the landing point; flaps in stages; final flaps when landing is assured.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Hold no slower than VYSE until landing is assured, then slow to the POH landing speed or about 1.3 VSO. The extra speed means the airplane floats more in the flare: plan the touchdown point.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- As you reduce power on the operating engine, reduce rudder too and trim off the pressure; avoid large, sudden power changes on final.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- The go-around: once on final with gear and flaps extended, you are committed to land. A go-around started earlier needs full power, blue line, clean-up and a climb-capable airplane, and still costs 500 feet or more.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- After a long time on one engine, end crossfeed and return the operating engine to its own main tank before landing, as the POH says.(Your airplane's POH/AFM)
Low altitude, traffic and attention R2 · R4 · R5
- Pattern direction doesn't matter for control or performance: turns toward the dead engine are fine at VYSE or above.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Hold blue line; don't let the airspeed decay trying to climb. VXSE is used only to clear an obstacle after takeoff, then accelerate to VYSE. The hard floor with asymmetric power is VMC (VSSE for intentional failures); a stall there can roll into a spin.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes)
- Clear the area, and keep scanning for traffic while you handle the failure.(AC 90-48, Pilots' Role in Collision Avoidance)
- Tell ATC: declare an emergency when warranted, state that you are on one engine, and ask for the vectors, altitudes and runway you need.(Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM))
- A failure is loud and startling. Fly the airplane first (control, then airspeed), then work the flow and checklists in order, and divide attention between the failure, the flight path and traffic.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))
On the flight
ACS standards
- Recognize the failure, keep control, set engine controls, reduce drag, identify and verify, simulate feathering; checklists.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.IX.G.S1-S5)
- The manufacturer's approach speed +10/-5 knots in the landing configuration with a stabilized approach until landing is assured; touchdown in the first third, no drift, on the centerline.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.IX.G.S6-S9)
What your instructor is watching for
Your instructor watches for a correct identification, a normal pattern with the gear down by abeam the landing point, blue line until landing is assured, staged flaps with the final setting delayed, rudder eased with power, a stable final, and a touchdown in the first third.
Scenarios
Decide what you would do first, then see the worked answer.
On downwind with one engine out, you wonder whether to fly a wider, higher pattern and leave the gear up until short final.
What does the handbook say? See the worked answer
Fly a normal pattern, gear down by abeam the landing point, flaps in stages, only the final setting delayed until landing is assured.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes
In the flare you pull the good engine's power to idle but leave the rudder in.
What happens? See the worked answer
The airplane yaws toward the dead engine. Reduce rudder as you reduce power.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes
An engine fails on short final with full flaps and the gear down.
What do you do? See the worked answer
Keep the configuration, hold control and speed, and land.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), Transition to Multiengine Airplanes
Common mistakes
Dragging it in low and slow.
High power on one engine, slow, near VMC.
Instead: Normal pattern, no slower than VYSE until landing is assured.
Planning a go-around from final.
Configured, the airplane may not climb.
Instead: Commit to land once configured on final.
Forgetting rudder with power changes.
Yaw at low altitude.
Instead: Coordinate rudder with each power change.
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 approach and landing with an inoperative engine (simulated) out loud with our examiner.
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Go to the source (free)
Teaching this? The instructor lesson plan →
Sources
- Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C): Transition to Multiengine Airplanes
- Instrument Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-15B)
- Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A)
- Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C): Areas IX and X (multiengine)
- Your airplane's POH/AFM: Emergency Procedures; Performance
Study aid, not FAA guidance. Regulations change; check the current text at eCFR and the ACS. Checked against current sources 2026-11-13.