The Possible Turn - Engine Failure After Takeoff in a Single-Engine Airplane
The concept of an engine failure occurring shortly after takeoff is a nightmare. It happens too often. It happened twice to my father. Both times he instinctively turned back and landed on the runway, but he was heavily criticized for doing so. The conventional advice was to go straight ahead—no matter what. This caused him to begin a decades long study on the topic. When teaching me to fly, dad taught me when and how to safely turnback to the runway following an engine failure shortly after takeoff. I pay it forward by teaching this technique to pilots. As of August, 2018, the FAA is advising CFIs to teach when and how to accomplish the turnback.
I'll be discussing the turnback maneuver in a live webcast hosted by NAFI on May 15, 2019.
Please post your thoughts here.
