Private pilot · ACS PA.VII.B
Power-Off Stalls
A power-off stall reproduces a stall on approach or landing: low power, flaps as for landing, slowing down.
You'll practice recognizing the stall coming and recovering promptly once it stalls, with the least altitude loss, then climbing away.
Why this one matters
Power-off stalls happen for real in the traffic pattern: a slow, overshooting turn to final, a distracted approach, too much rudder to tighten the turn. Close to the ground there is little room. This task is about recognizing the stall coming and recovering correctly by instinct, so it never gets that far.
Can’t miss
- •Recovery, every time: Disconnect any autopilot or wing leveler; reduce the angle of attack (pitch down until the stall warning stops); then level the wings with coordinated aileron and rudder; add power as needed (with right rudder for the left-turning tendency), retracting any speed brakes; then return to the desired flight path. The POH procedure governs.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- •Reducing the angle of attack comes first. Power alone does not recover a stall.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- •The power-off stall simulates the approach and landing: the approach or landing configuration (as the evaluator specifies), coordinated throughout, a stabilized descent (about 500 fpm at approach speed), then a smooth pitch-up to the stall.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.VII.B.S3-S5)
- •Know the cues: the stall warning, mushy controls, buffet, quieter air noise, a high nose.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- •Pulling back too soon in the recovery causes a secondary stall.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- •A skidding turn (too much rudder, opposite aileron) at low speed causes a cross-control stall, which can become a spin.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- •Clear the area with clearing turns and a look for traffic and terrain, and pick an entry altitude so the whole task is completed no lower than 1,500 feet AGL (3,000 in a multiengine airplane); bank no more than 20° in turning stalls.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.VII.B.S1-S2, S6)
What you should know
Why wings stall K1 · K2
- The wing stalls when it exceeds its critical angle of attack. Airflow separates from the upper surface and lift drops.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
- Stall speed depends on load factor, weight, CG, power and configuration; for a given configuration the critical angle of attack doesn't change. It rises with the square root of the load factor (a level 60° bank is 2 G, about 41% higher), and with weight and a forward CG; an aft CG lowers it but degrades recovery and spin resistance. A stall can happen at any airspeed, in any attitude, at any power setting.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
- Attitude and yaw matter too: in a skidding turn the inside wing stalls first and the airplane rolls toward it.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Many trainers are designed so the root stalls before the tips (washout), which delays the loss of roll control; that's a design tendency, not a guarantee. Near the stall the ailerons are weak and produce strong adverse yaw: don't use aileron to pick up a dropping wing while stalled; reduce the angle of attack first and coordinate with rudder. Some airplanes break sharply or drop a wing; know yours from the POH.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
- Impending stall cues: the stall warning, mushy controls, buffet, quieter wind noise, a high nose and falling airspeed. Full stall: a nose-down pitch break or a high sink rate you can't arrest with back pressure. On the checkride, acknowledge the cues of the impending stall out loud, then recover promptly after the full stall.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins; Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.VII.B.S7)
How it happens, and the recovery K3 · K4 · R1 · R4
- Real power-off stalls come from turning too steeply or too slowly onto final, stretching a glide, or pulling the nose up to avoid landing short.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- The recovery: Disconnect any autopilot or wing leveler; reduce the angle of attack (pitch down until the stall warning stops); then level the wings with coordinated aileron and rudder; add power as needed (with right rudder for the left-turning tendency), retracting any speed brakes; then return to the desired flight path. The POH procedure governs.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- Lowering the nose is what un-stalls the wing. Adding power without reducing the angle of attack can make things worse.(AC 120-109A, Stall Prevention and Recovery Training)
- After the recovery, establish a positive rate of climb before retracting flaps to the recommended setting (or the gear, if retractable); accelerate to VX (obstacles) or VY before the final flap retraction; then return to the altitude, heading and airspeed the evaluator specified.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.VII.B.S9-S10)
- Prevention: fly a stabilized approach at the right speed, avoid steep turns low, and go around early.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
Warnings, other stalls, and the environment R2 · R3 · R5 · R6
- A stall warning device typically activates 5 to 10 knots above the stall in the configuration flown (see the POH). Treat it as a command to reduce the angle of attack now. It can fail, be dead with the electrical power off, or be masked, so use sight, sound and feel together (buffet, mushy controls, attitude) rather than the horn alone.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- A brief stall horn just before touchdown in a full-stall landing is normal. Anywhere else, it's a warning.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Secondary stall: pulling back too hard or too soon during recovery stalls the wing again.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Accelerated stall: a stall at higher than normal airspeed from abrupt or excessive back pressure or a steep turn.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Cross-control stall: in a skidding turn with too much inside rudder and opposite aileron, the inside wing can stall first and roll the airplane toward a spin. Keep turns coordinated.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
- Gusts, turbulence, wind shear and microbursts change the angle of attack and airspeed suddenly. At high density altitude the climb after recovery is weaker.(PHAK (FAA-H-8083-25C), Aerodynamics of Flight)
Doing it safely R7 · R8
- Clear the area and keep looking for other aircraft, terrain, obstacles and wires, during the clearing turns and the recovery; you'll lose altitude and change heading.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.VII.B.S1, R7)
- Distraction, poor task management and lost situational awareness or disorientation are how real stalls start. Fly the airplane first; radio calls and checklists can wait.(Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2A))
- In the pattern, on a low overshoot from base to final, be reluctant to exceed about 30° of bank, and never skid the turn to correct it: keep it coordinated or go around.(Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins)
On the flight
ACS standards
- Heading ±10° in straight flight; bank no more than 20°, ±10°, in turning flight.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.VII.B.S6)
- Recover promptly after a full stall; complete no lower than 1,500 feet AGL; return to the specified altitude, heading and airspeed.(Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C), PA.VII.B.S2, S7, S10)
What your instructor is watching for
Your instructor watches for a prompt nose-down recovery (not power first), coordinated rudder throughout, no secondary stall, and the correct POH clean-up and climb.
Scenarios
Decide what you would do first, then see the worked answer.
On a gusty day you're low on final, and the airplane is sinking toward the trees short of the runway.
Pull back to stretch the glide? See the worked answer
No: go around. Pulling back increases the angle of attack, slows you and can stall the wing close to the ground. Full power, pitch to the VX/VY climb attitude without exceeding the critical angle (if the stall warning is on, reduce the angle of attack first), flaps up in stages only with a positive rate of climb, then the gear, and climb away.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins
During a practice recovery you pull back hard right after the nose drops, and the buffet comes back.
What happened? See the worked answer
A secondary stall: you increased the angle of attack too soon. Relax the back pressure, let the airspeed build, then raise the nose smoothly to climb.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins
Turning base to final, you're overshooting the centerline.
Which control input sets up a spin here? See the worked answer
Adding inside rudder to tighten the turn while holding opposite aileron to keep the bank shallow: a skid. That's a cross-control stall setup. Use a coordinated turn or go around.
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3C), slow flight, stalls and spins
Common mistakes
Adding power before lowering the nose.
The wing stays stalled until the angle of attack comes down.
Instead: Pitch down first, then wings level, then power.
Pulling up too early in the recovery.
It causes a secondary stall.
Instead: Let airspeed build, then raise the nose smoothly.
Using ailerons to pick up a dropping wing at the stall.
Down aileron raises that wing's angle of attack and can deepen the stall on that side.
Instead: Reduce the angle of attack first, keep coordinated with rudder, 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 power-off stalls 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): Slow flight, stalls and spins
- Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25C): Aerodynamics of Flight
- AC 120-109A: Stall Prevention and Recovery Training
- Private Pilot ACS (FAA-S-ACS-6C): Area VII
- Your airplane's POH/AFM: stall recovery and speeds
Study aid, not FAA guidance. Regulations change; check the current text at eCFR and the ACS. Checked against current sources 2026-11-12.