Forced Landing
Forced landing practice develops the ability to maintain aircraft control, select a suitable landing area, manage the available energy, and prepare for landing when continued powered flight is not available.
Aircraft control comes first
Following a loss of usable power, maintaining aircraft control and establishing the appropriate glide condition are immediate priorities.
The applicable airspeed, configuration, and procedure are aircraft-specific and should come from the approved operating information.
Selecting a landing area
The pilot evaluates available landing areas while considering distance, wind, terrain, surface, obstacles, slope, dimensions, and the aircraft's ability to reach the area.
A theoretically ideal field is of little value if the airplane cannot reach it with adequate margin.
Glide and energy management
A forced landing is fundamentally an energy-management problem. Without normal power, altitude represents a limited resource that must be managed while positioning the airplane for landing.
Turns, configuration changes, wind, and maneuvering all affect the remaining glide capability.
Planning the approach
The pilot develops a practical path to the selected landing area while continuing to reassess whether the intended touchdown area remains reachable.
The exact pattern or approach technique depends on aircraft guidance, altitude available, wind, terrain, and circumstances.
Restart and checklist actions
When time and altitude permit, aircraft-specific checklist actions may include attempts to identify or correct the cause of the power loss.
Checklist work should not displace aircraft control or cause the pilot to lose the selected landing area and approach.
Communication and preparation
If circumstances permit, the pilot may communicate the emergency, set appropriate equipment, brief occupants, and complete aircraft-specific preparation for landing.
These tasks remain secondary to maintaining control and reaching the landing area.
Common forced-landing errors
- failing to establish the appropriate glide promptly;
- poor landing-area selection;
- changing landing areas repeatedly without good reason;
- misjudging wind or glide capability;
- fixating on restart or radio tasks;
- poor energy management during the approach;
- failing to follow aircraft-specific emergency procedures.
Why pilots practice forced landings
Practice helps pilots organize priorities during a time-critical event and improves judgment about glide distance, wind, terrain, and approach geometry.
It also reinforces the need to fly the airplane continuously while completing emergency actions.
Useful practice considerations
Depending on the aircraft, conditions, training objective, applicable standards, and instructor guidance, practice may include:
- establishing the aircraft-specific glide condition promptly;
- selecting and continually evaluating a suitable landing area;
- considering wind, terrain, obstacles, and surface;
- managing altitude and glide energy;
- planning a practical approach to the landing area;
- using checklist and restart actions when time permits;
- prioritizing aircraft control over communication and secondary tasks;
- following the aircraft-specific emergency procedure.
Related flying skills
Track forced landing practice
Last Practiced lets you record the date you practiced forced landing alongside the other individual flying skills from the same session. You can also set a personal Practice Target if this is a skill you want to revisit at your own chosen interval.
Practice Targets are personal reminders. They do not establish regulatory currency, proficiency, or legal eligibility to fly.
References
- Federal Aviation Administration — Airplane Flying Handbook
- Federal Aviation Administration — Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
- Federal Aviation Administration — Airman Certification Standards
This page is a general reference and is not a substitute for aircraft documentation, flight instruction, regulations, certification standards, or operational procedures applicable to a particular flight.