Turn towards live or dead engine?
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Turn towards live or dead engine?
You have the aircraft cleaned up, following an engine failure in a light twin at 200' agl and you a just maintaining a positive rate of climb. Which way would you turn? Toward the live or dead engine? You can maintain VMC but have rising terrain ahead and don't have much room to maneuver. Interested to hear everyone's point of view. Cheerz
Always turn towards the live engine terrain / weather / other factors permitting.
Its easier to roll out of a turn thats initiated towards the live engine than the opposite scenario. You want the live engine helping, not hindering roll out.
Edit: I stress this in a scenario where all other factors are equal. Many things must influence your decisions in this situation, and you must apply solid airmanship in this scenario. There can be no 'golden rule'.
As has been said, if you're low, assym, and its not looking good, pull them both back and treat it as a single engine engine failure.
Its easier to roll out of a turn thats initiated towards the live engine than the opposite scenario. You want the live engine helping, not hindering roll out.
Edit: I stress this in a scenario where all other factors are equal. Many things must influence your decisions in this situation, and you must apply solid airmanship in this scenario. There can be no 'golden rule'.
As has been said, if you're low, assym, and its not looking good, pull them both back and treat it as a single engine engine failure.
well your having a bad day it would seem.... if it's looking really bad close the throttle & have a controlled crash
If it's climbing, it will surely maintain altitude in a turn provided correct technique is utilized.
I will always turn towards the live engine if conditions permit however there is nothing wrong with the opposite if terrain and other factors present (no circling areas at night etc)
Make sure you thoroughly brief your escape route to yourself or the other guy next to you so you are prepared.
You have the aircraft cleaned up, following an engine failure in a light twin at 200' agl and you a just maintaining a positive rate of climb. Which way would you turn?
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At 200 ft I would not be turning anywhere , positive rate even 10 ft /min and stable just be comfortable looking for somewhere to put the aircraft so you are OK and it becomes the insurance companies problem.
FAR 23 certified twins are not renown for single engine gymnastics, even geriatric gymnastics.
Staying alive is smarter than turning in any direction. Climb and stay inside the clear obstacle area, time to height is a hell of a lot smarter than a turn into the unknown.
FAR 23 certified twins are not renown for single engine gymnastics, even geriatric gymnastics.
Staying alive is smarter than turning in any direction. Climb and stay inside the clear obstacle area, time to height is a hell of a lot smarter than a turn into the unknown.
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rising terrain - Australia
I did my initial twin rating years ago in a cougar and empty the thing was lucky to get to get a couple of hundred feet/min climb. However I remember there was no problem in turning either way. Having said that it was common practice to shut down the non-critical engine as the engines were not counter rotated. I never practiced nor had an actual left (critical) engine failure so can't comment on what the performance may have been like in that situation, bitch of thing to taxi though on one engine.
In my opinion with most 'light' twins with fuel and pax to get any ROC is a myth without compromising airspeed which without, you will enter the terrain vertically rather than horizontally.
I did my initial twin rating years ago in a cougar and empty the thing was lucky to get to get a couple of hundred feet/min climb. However I remember there was no problem in turning either way. Having said that it was common practice to shut down the non-critical engine as the engines were not counter rotated. I never practiced nor had an actual left (critical) engine failure so can't comment on what the performance may have been like in that situation, bitch of thing to taxi though on one engine.
In my opinion with most 'light' twins with fuel and pax to get any ROC is a myth without compromising airspeed which without, you will enter the terrain vertically rather than horizontally.
the difference in performance is nil, otherwise there would be something in the flight manual about it
If there is no difference in terrain left or right, my t/off safety brief is "if I have performance, circuit towards the live back to the runway". Rolling out of a turn towards the dead one ain't fun, especially if you've rolled on too much bank to start with
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Read the question
If heading toward rising terrain turn into the dead engine CAREFULLY to achieve a tighter turn radius. Before I get shot down in flames give it some thought.
Groggy
Groggy
engine failure
also consider turning into the wind if you had any crosswind on takeoff as that will obviously assist your angle of climb. only after you have achieved some performance from the aircraft.
I'm with Groggy on this one. With e/inop and 5 deg bank towards same, a turn towards the good eng req further increase in bank. Incr in bank means more drag. More drag means less lift for same a/s. Less lift highly undesirable.
Turn away from good eng with wings level means more lift and uses assy thrust to turn. More better in my book.
Either way never get below V2 even if it means negative ROC.
Emeritus
Turn away from good eng with wings level means more lift and uses assy thrust to turn. More better in my book.
Either way never get below V2 even if it means negative ROC.
Emeritus
Last edited by emeritus; 18th May 2010 at 08:07.
Ah, but if everything is equal, ie no wind, rising terrain which favours neither direction etc, letting it turn GENTLY toward the DEAD engine results in less opposing rudder and less opposing aileron, so less drag = better rate of climb, possibly even better than straight ahead but only at small bank angles. Go somewhere safe at a safe weight on a still day where you can accurately measure rate of climb and try it for yourself, but keep the bank angles down to around 10 degrees; 15 degrees max.
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Mixed bag of answers from everyone, some turn to dead others live, all points valid. Does anyone have reference to a POF book or performance on any aircraft for the difference in ROC either way you turn?
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Think about it....which engine is delivering the thrust. One has full power and the other is feathered. The engine delivering thrust wants to yaw in the direction of the failed engine..right? Therefore it is more difficult to turn into the live engine than the dead. having said all that considerations must be made as to terrain, population, obstacles, etc etc.......Which have all been considered prior to departure...right??