Not your typical simulated engine failure
For example, my instructor once placed a cut-off engine oil dipstick in the engine to see if I actually pulled it out to check the oil level during preflight. On another occasion, before the preflight he made sure the fuel selector valve was in the Off position - again so that he could test the thoroughness of my preflight inspections. Because the selector usually stays in the Both position in our rental fleet, even while they are tied down, it is an easily overlooked checklist item for a sloppy pilot. While these teaching lessons served their purpose well and helped me to learn how to properly preflight an aircraft, nothing prepared me for what would happen directly above the airport one day.
During every phase of flight training, great emphasis is placed on in-flight emergencies and the correct procedures that should be followed to ensure the safety of the flight following an unexpected event. Because aircraft engines do decide to quit from time to time, pilots are taught to be ready for an engine failure at any moment. Most flight instructors use the element of surprise when teaching their students the correct procedures to handle a powerplant-related emergency. These training moments usually come at a critical phase of the flight, such as takeoff, landing, or entering the traffic pattern, so that the instructor can see how the student will react under pressure.
We've all had it happen - you are cruising along when your instructor suddenly reaches over and, grinning from ear to ear, pulls the throttle to idle. After best glide speed is established, depending on the situation, the pilot should locate a suitable landing area - preferably an airport - complete the appropriate checklist, and if altitude permits do some quick troubleshooting to see if power can be restored. If attempts to restart the engine are unsuccessful, full attention should be dedicated to flying the airplane and making a successful dead-stick landing.
If you do all your flight training with the same instructor, you get to know the instructor's style of teaching quite well. In the latter stages of training for the private pilot certificate, I could usually anticipate when a simulated engine failure or any other emergency was about to take place, and I had time to mentally prepare for it. As the hours filled my logbook, I became complacent with this approach to emergency procedures. This is when my instructor caught me off guard.
After a successful hour of training in the practice area, my CFI and I were returning to our home field for a few practice touch and goes. As I was maneuvering to enter the traffic pattern at about 1,500 agl directly above the airport, the engine quit. There was no cough or sputter, just a quick loss of power and then the dreaded silence. Even though I had recently had extensive experience practicing engine failure emergency procedures, this time I was surprised because my instructor hadn't reached over to pull the throttle back to idle.
After a brief moment of panic and a realization that this was not a simulation, I set up best glide, which was 65 knots in the Cessna 172 that we were flying, and prepared to land on the runway directly below. I then checked the throttle, which was against the firewall; pulled on the carb heat; pushed the mixture to full rich; and made sure that the magneto switch was in the Both position. Nothing I tried would bring back that reassuring Lycoming hum.
At this point I glanced over at my instructor and realized that something was not quite right. I had always assumed that if we ever encountered a potentially dangerous situation during a flight lesson, he would immediately take control of the aircraft rather than let our fate be decided by a 30-hour student pilot. Because his neck was on the line too, I figured that there had to be a logical explanation for the engine failure. He sat in the right seat with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, thoroughly enjoying the moment of panic that he had inflicted on his unsuspecting student.
It wasn't long before I found the real reason for the power failure. While I was busy scanning for traffic, making radio calls, and flying the airplane, my instructor had reached down and turned the fuel selector valve to the Off position.
This simple yet effective teaching technique taught me what it was like to really lose an engine during a critical phase of flight. There was no anticipation, no reaching over to pull back the throttle, and no knowledge that it was just a simulation. At the time, it was a real emergency, and I was immediately forced to put into practice the emergency procedures that I had been practicing.
In retrospect, one comforting thing that came out of the experience was that I was able to look back on my performance and evaluate my reaction to a realistic emergency situation. In addition to feeling good about my skills, my instructor and I were able to identify areas that still needed polishing. This experience proved to be the single most valuable real-life safety lesson that I learned as I continued my flight training and eventually got my private pilot certificate.
Most responsible pilots recognize the fact that they are not immune to danger in an airplane, but through good training, it is possible to effectively manage much of that risk. While I don't recommend that you recklessly shut the engine down to see what happens, I do believe that experiences like this are very educational when done under controlled conditions with an experienced CFI on board. While the chances of having an engine failure are quite slim, I know that I will be better prepared to handle the situation should the prop start windmilling unexpectedly.
By Todd Henderson
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