EAA Sport Aviation - April 2010

Try the maneuver using a variety of bank angles, airspeeds, and flap settings to see what results in the minimum altitude loss. Also try the maneuver with different wind conditions and note the effect on performance.

Out of the Frying Pan

So let’s assume for a moment that it’s possible to suffer an engine failure and then maneuver the aircraft for an opposite-direction landing on the departure runway. The problems aren’t over yet.

Perhaps the biggest danger facing a pilot who makes a successful turn back on departure is other aircraft. Unless you can make a quick radio call—and it’s heard by everyone concerned—there may be little chance of avoiding other aircraft. Imagine what would happen if you’re touching down on one end of the runway while another aircraft is either touching down or departing from the other end. Finding yourself on short final facing an aircraft on departure would be equally distressing. Even at a towered airport, it is unlikely that traffic controllers can clear the area quickly enough to avoid all potential conflicts.

Once you’ve made the turn back to the runway, options for an off-runway landing might be worse than if you had continued in the normal direction. The area immediately surrounding runways often holds a variety of hazards and obstacles, including homes, businesses, cars, and pedestrians. By turning back, we might put other persons and property in jeopardy. Unless we’ve scoped it out carefully beforehand, we don’t know what we’re up against.

Exploring the Alternatives

So what is the best option for a low-altitude emergency after departure? The answer depends on the particular situation, but there are often better alternatives to consider. Landing straight ahead, or nearly so, is often a survivable event, especially if we maintain proper airspeed and positive control of the aircraft until touchdown. A stall/spin event is usually fatal.