My interpretation of failure is a complete loss of power. My interpretation of malfunction is that the engine has completely failed or it is producing partial power. Malfunction then is a more apt title, IMO. Engines can stop during take off or after take off too! In fact our syllabus calls for the teaching of engine malfunction on every leg of the circuit, such fun!
Traditionally in the UK we have always taught complete engine failure only which I believe all ICAO countries have done. In 2010, after 10 years of research, The AustralianTransport Safety Board pointed out that most serious engine malfunctions were in fact partial power reductions, not complete failures. I had long suspected that, that’s why I changed to teaching both partial and complete failures in 1985 after I experienced a partial power loss at 200 feet and flew a low level circuit to land. The UK CAA have finally caught up and partial power failure training was introduced in October this year.
Partial power events are very easy to teach but they call for sound decision making in regard to the chosen flight path to fly.
As a matter of interest, which I know I am going to dread mentioning, we never close the throttle immeadiately from full power because it’s unnecessary and not best practice, IMO. We set either approx 2000 or 1500 RPM depending on the option and decision we want to explore with the student.
https://flyer.co.uk/partial-power-lo...nnial-flights/