PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)

Emergency Descent
Objective

To ensure the applicant learns the purpose of and can exhibit

a clear understanding of the emergency descent maneuver
and how to perform the maneuver properly.

Purpose

Some emergencies, such as fires, require that pilots get down

on the ground immediately. The emergency descent
introduces pilots to the procedures for handling these
emergencies and demonstrates how to dissipate altitude
extremely quickly in a safe, controlled manner.

Schedule Equipment

● Ground Lesson: 15 minutes ● Airplane Checklist

● Initial ● Whiteboard / Markers (optional)
■ Flight 1: 40 minutes - Introduction to Maneuver
■ Flight 2: 50 minutes - Improve Proficiency (Dual)
● Pre-Checkride
■ Flight 3: 20 minutes - Demonstrate Proficiency
● Debrief: 10 minutes (per flight)

Student Actions Instructor Actions

● Ask any questions, receive study material for the next lesson. ● Deliver the ground lesson (below).
● Watch linked video. ● Demonstrate the maneuver in flight.
● Review listed references. ● Debrief after each flight.

Completion Standards

● Ground: Student can explain the purpose of the emergency descent maneuver, when the maneuver should be
performed, and how load factor affects the performance of the maneuver.
● Flight: Student can perform the maneuver to the applicable ACS standards.
● At the direction of the instructor or examiner, determines the nature of the emergency and consult the
appropriate emergency checklist.
● Clears the area, selects a suitable emergency landing area, configures the airplane, and begins a descent at
the highest speed allowable for the configuration, -10/+0 knots.
● Maintains positive load factors and coordinated flight throughout the descent, with a bank angle between 30
and 45 degrees.
● The pilot clears the engine once per revolution, and recovers at the specified altitude, +/- 100 ft.
● See expanded Completion Standards below.

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

 PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)
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References

● ERAUSpecialVFR - “Emergency Descent”

○ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1YRjSOfxsw
● FAA-H-8083-3B (Airplane Flying Handbook) - Chapter 17, Page 2-5 [Basic Safety Concepts], Chapter 17, Page
5-6 [Terrain Types], Chapter 17, Page 6 [Engine Failure After Takeoff], Chapter 17, Page 6-9 [Emergency
Descents/In-Flight Fire]
● FAA-H-8083-25B (Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge) - Chapter 5, Page 34 [Load Factors in Steep
Turns]
● FAA-S-ACS-6B (Private Pilot ACS) - Area IX Task A
● FAA-S-ACS-7A (Commercial Pilot ACS) - Area IX Task A
● FAA-S-8081-6D (CFI PTS) - Area XIII Task D

Ground Lesson Outline

● What is an Emergency Descent?

○ Get Down Fast
■ Fire In Flight
■ Loss of Cabin Pressurization
● How to Get Down Fast
○ Reduce Thrust to Idle
○ Increase Drag
■ Positive load factor / induced drag
■ High speed / parasite drag
■ Configuration - flaps/gear/etc
● Don’t Just Nose Over
○ Entry - Positive load factor
○ Spiral - Setup for emergency landing
● Diagnosis and Emergency Checklists
○ Remove fuel supply in fire emergencies!
● Managing the Bank Angle
● Recovery
● Safety considerations
○ Clearing Turns - especially below
○ Emergency Checklists
○ Visual traffic scanning
○ Clearing the engine - once per revolution
○ Never Exceed Speed
● Maneuver Description - step-by-step
○ Altitude, airspeed, etc.
● Expanded Completion Standards

Common Errors

● The consequences of failing to identify reason for executing an emergency descent.

● Improper use of the prescribed emergency checklist to verify accomplishment of procedures for
initiating the emergency descent.
● Improper use of clearing procedures for initiating the emergency descent.
● Improper procedures for recovering from an emergency descent.

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

 PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)
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Ground Lesson Content

● What is an Emergency Descent? - In short, certain emergency situations may occur in flight where
the pilot needs to get down now, where time is of critical importance. Many emergency descents would
follow up with an emergency landing, perhaps in a field or on a road. The emergency descent is a
maneuver designed to lose as much altitude as possible, as quickly as possible, while remaining
within the structural limits of the airplane. Some situations that might require an emergency
descent:
○ Fire In Flight - An engine or electrical fire in flight is one of the most dangerous emergencies a
pilot can encounter. The smoke produced will make it difficult or impossible for the pilot to see
and breathe, and the fire itself threatens to weaken the airplane structurally. In case of fire,
pilots must land immediately.
■ Some fires may even be extinguished (be ‘blown out’) by descending at very high
airspeeds, as the increased airflow can create an incombustible mixture, that is, too
much airflow to sustain a fire.
■ Fires can spread rapidly and rapidly compromise an aircraft or a pilot, so they must be
dealt with immediately to avoid catastrophe.

○ Loss of Cabin Pressurization - In pressurized airplanes (not typical training airplanes), a loss
of cabin pressurization requires a rapid descent to lower altitudes to prevent the passengers or
crew from experiencing hypoxia and losing consciousness.

● How to Get Down Fast - New pilots might assume that getting an airplane down quickly is easy,
however it does take some skill. Simply pitching down and pointing the airplane at the ground will
produce a rapid descent, however it will quickly cause the airplane to exceed Vne (never-exceed
speed) and could structurally compromise the airplane. Pilots must manage the descent to fly as
fast as possible while creating as much drag as possible, without exceeding any structural
limits of the airplane.
○ Reduce Thrust to Idle - Engine thrust is counter to the desire to add drag, and so it should be
reduced to idle.
○ Add Drag -
■ Increase Load Factor - Recall that as an airplane banks, it experiences a higher load
factor (g-force), which causes the wing to produce more lift (fly at a higher angle of
attack), thereby increasing induced drag. An airplane which is banking at 45 degrees,

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

 PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)
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for example, has a load factor of 1.4g. As the load factor increases, the angle of
attack increases, the induced drag increases exponentially.

■ Go Fast - Pilots also know from basic aerodynamics that drag also increases rapidly as
airspeed increases. By flying as fast as possible (generally, at Vne if conditions allow,
otherwise at Vno in turbulent air), drag can be increased.

■ Configure - Some airplanes specify that emergency descents should be made with
landing gear extended (for retractable gear), or with flaps down, etc. These
configuration changes all add drag, however they also generally reduce the maximum
allowable airspeed. Refer to the Airplane POH to determine the correct
configuration and airspeed for an emergency descent.

● Don’t Just Nose Over - When beginning the pitch down for Vne, pilots might attempt to just push the
pitch down to accelerate. A rapid pushover creates a <1g load factor, which initially reduces drag, as
well as creates a risk of a negative-g or 0-g situation. The emergency descent should be flown with
a positive load factor continuously throughout the maneuver to maximize drag and avoid the <1g
area of the envelope.

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

 PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)
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○ Entry - Generally, the proper entry for an emergency descent is to reduce power to idle, begin a
30-45 degree banked turn, and lower the pitch angle to accelerate to Vne or Vno, as
appropriate.

○ Spiral - In order to maintain positive load factors throughout, and to remain over a potential
emergency landing area, an emergency descent is often flown as a steep, spiraling descent. In
most cases, the objective is to rapidly descend to a suitable landing area where an
emergency approach and landing can be executed. Therefore, a good point on the ground
to spiral over is the ‘downwind key position’ for the eventual emergency landing location.

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

 PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)
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● Diagnosis and Emergency Checklists - Before and during the

emergency descent, it is important that pilots attempt to diagnose
the problem, and perform the emergency checklists. The
emergency checklist items may resolve the situation that is
causing the emergency descent!
○ For example: In an engine fire emergency, the emergency
checklist will instruct pilots to cut off the fuel supply to the
engine, which may assist in extinguishing the fire.

● Managing the Bank Angle - In order to remain over the selected emergency landing area, the angle of
bank must be varied throughout the maneuver to account for the wind. As groundspeed decreases
while upwind, less bank is required, but as groundspeed increases while downwind, more bank is
required. Constantly changing bank will require close attention to the coordination of the turns. The
emergency descent should be flown between 30 and 45 degrees of bank.

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

 PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)
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● Recovery - Recovery from an emergency descent should be made gently, as the airplane is very likely
being flown over maneuvering speed. Do not continue the emergency descent below 1,000ft AGL,
and ensure that recovery is started early enough so that the airplane can slow to prepare for an
emergency off-airport landing.

● Safety Considerations
○ Clearing Turns - An emergency descent will involve flight at very high speeds and across a
very large vertical section of sky. It is important that pilots thoroughly clear the area,
especially directly below the airplane.
○ Checklists - Pilots should complete a pre-maneuver checklist before beginning the maneuver.
○ Visual Traffic Scanning - Pilots must remember to keep up their traffic scan throughout the
maneuver.
○ Clearing the Engine - Because the maneuver is performed while the engine is at idle for an
extended period of time, carb heat may be required, and the engine should be periodically
cleared (brought up to high power briefly), at least once per revolution, to prevent spark plug
fouling.
○ Never Exceed Speed - For the purposes of simulation, it is often better to fly the airplane at
Vno. The airplane can never be allowed to exceed Vne!

Maneuver Description
● Maneuver Start - Usually the instructor or examiner will indicate that some kind of emergency is
occurring. When a simulated emergency occurs that would warrant an emergency descent, initiate the
maneuver.
● Clear The Area - Clear the area around the airplane, especially directly below.
● Emergency Checklist - Depending on the type of emergency, reference the appropriate emergency
checklist and complete any steps necessary before beginning the emergency descent.
● Configuration and Airspeed - Depending on what the emergency checklist and POH call for,
configure the airplane and descend at the appropriate speed. (Usually Vfe with flaps extended, or
Vno/Vne with no flaps)
● Select a Suitable Emergency Landing Area - Once the descent has begun, find an open field or
other area, free from obstacles, that will allow landing into the wind, or with a manageable crosswind.
● Bank Angle - Select a bank angle initially between 30 and 45 degrees, varying the bank angle to
maintain a nearly constant radius over a possible emergency landing area. Because of the varying
ground speed, this bank angle will not be constant. Aim to bank no less than 30 degrees, both to
maintain positive load factors and to ensure each revolution will not lose excessive altitude and require
the maneuver to be started at an impractically high entry altitude.
● Recovery Altitude - Generally, the emergency descent should be completed no lower than 1,500ft
AGL. Allow for enough altitude to make it to a position from which a power-off approach and landing
can be executed.
● Coordination - To spiral around the emergency landing area, the angle of bank will vary, which will
require close attention to coordination. Proper coordination must be maintained at all times, as banking
steeply at relatively low altitudes requires caution to avoid a stall or spin.

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020

 PPL (IX-A) / CAX (IX-A) / CFI (XIII-D)
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● This is a visual maneuver! Eyes should remain outside the cockpit as much as possible to scan for
traffic and ensure proper tracking of the target emergency landing area.

Expanded Completion Standards

● The pilot can explain the purpose of the emergency descent maneuver, when the maneuver should be
performed, and how load factor affects the performance of the maneuver.
● The pilot can perform the maneuver to the following standards:
○ At the direction of the instructor or examiner, determine the nature of the emergency and consult
the appropriate emergency checklist.
○ Pilot clears the area, selects a suitable emergency landing area, configures the airplane, and
begins a descent at the highest speed allowable for the configuration, -10/+0 knots.
○ Pilot maintains positive load factors throughout the descent, with a bank angle between 30 and
45 degrees.
○ The pilot clears the engine once per revolution, maintains coordinated flight, and recovers at the
specified altitude, +/- 100 ft.

Prepared by: Ryan Binns (ryancbinns.com/flying), February 2020