Originally Posted by
Pilot DAR
..... What do pilots do to minimize risk of an accident resulting from an engine failure?.......
I started flying in gliders and so, particularly on x-country flights on an iffy day (or, rather, one which was turning iffy!!!) I always flew with one eye on the airspace (lookout etc, etc) and the other eye on the ground looking at what is around just in case the lift-fairies (thermals) decided to finally let me down (you got bonus points - and bought a bit less beer - if there was easy access for a retrieve crew as well!!!).
Perhaps no need to be quite so obsessed in a single but, still, route sensibly - even avoid flying over large forest areas, route round really hilly country where perhaps not too many flat areas (or even avoid flat areas which are really boggy/marshy), avoid built up areas and shorten routes over water and so on. Oh, and always look out on the departure for the next available landing area on climb-out!
Finally, make a decision to quit doing restart checks early (you can always go back to them again if you have time later) and plan your FL when you have good height/vis/time with, hopefully, more than 1 option just in case Plan A goes pear-shaped towards the end (ie field conditions not as they first appeared).
And try fly the approach as if it is a "normal" engine-off SF landing - the fact it is not on an airfield is now irrelevant (particularly to the plane who has no idea where you are about to plonk it down!) so concentrate on aviating to the best of your ability! My first off-field landing saw me slightly unsettled until I said "FFS
H 'n' H, you're just landing a bl**dy glider! That's all! You've done it loads of times before! Just land the bl**dy thing like you normally do - except, do try and miss the bl**dy sheep!!!!!".
Just some thoughts - in summary, it's the planning ahead which will make things safer!
H 'n' H