Engine failure on takeoff--feared the most

[RyanB]

To this day, i think my most feared thing is an engine failure on takeoff. I have had it drilled 30 deg right 30 deg left, below 1000 agl do not turn back.

As a senario runs through my head, say you take off, your approx. 500ft agl and the engine fails. You have a spot just off your left or right side to land in. You have a partial loss of power, would you reduce power to idle to get down or leave what power you still have in and just use flaps and slips to get down and reduce power as needed?

I know this question has probably been asked multiple times on this forum but what are the chances of engine failure on takeoff, compared to other phases of flight? Are there certain engines that are more prone to it or not?

 

[Jim Logajan]

2 Stroke Rotax 30-50' above ground, engine seized. I froze for a 1/4 of a second, then pulled the stick up slightly ( I was in denial, never do this , ever!) before putting the nose down. Pulled the stick back (flair) right before impact and was able to save myself, but not the plane. Tore it up pretty good, but walked away. Sold it wrecked and bought a 4 stroke Rotax and the flying angels has been kind to me ever since.

You have to be prepared to put the nose down instantly when you lose power on take off.
You have to be prepared to put the nose down instantly when you lose power on take off.
You have to be prepared to put the nose down instantly when you lose power on take off.

Maybe it was because it wasn't certified to Part 23, but for Part 23 airplanes the plane should continue to fly at the trimmed speed even when the engine loses power:

§ 23.173 Static longitudinal stability.
Under the conditions specified in § 23.175 and with the airplane trimmed as indicated, the characteristics of the elevator control forces and the friction within the control system must be as follows:

(a) A pull must be required to obtain and maintain speeds below the specified trim speed and a push required to obtain and maintain speeds above the specified trim speed. This must be shown at any speed that can be obtained, except that speeds requiring a control force in excess of 40 pounds or speeds above the maximum allowable speed or below the minimum speed for steady unstalled flight, need not be considered.

(b) The airspeed must return to within the tolerances specified for applicable categories of airplanes when the control force is slowly released at any speed within the speed range specified in paragraph (a) of this section. The applicable tolerances are—
(1) The airspeed must return to within plus or minus 10 percent of the original trim airspeed; and
(2) For commuter category airplanes, the airspeed must return to within plus or minus 7.5 percent of the original trim airspeed for the cruising condition specified in § 23.175(b).

(c) The stick force must vary with speed so that any substantial speed change results in a stick force clearly perceptible to the pilot.

 

[Jim Logajan]

Key wor here...the airplane must RETURN to within the appropriate tolerances of the original airspeed. Going from full power to no power will result in the airplane slowing down, and assuming it's got enough altitude and time, it will work its way back to the original speed. There will, however, be large changes in airspeed before it gets there.

Power is reduced or cut on every landing. Do you recall ever experiencing dramatic slow downs requiring you to push the nose down? Don't you actually find you have to pull back to slow up because the plane continues to fly at the trimmed speed of its own accord? I should have also quoted the Part 23 requirements for dynamic stability (below) in addition to the static stability requirements. You'll note that it requires heavy damping of phugoids with controls free to move or fixed in place.

Different planes will react differently so of course it is worthwhile to experiment at altitude: apply takeoff power, trim to Vx or Vy climb speed as one would on tskeoff, then cut the throttle and don't touch the elevator. I believe most pilots will observe the nose of their airplanes to simply drop on its own and the speed oscillations to be modest and short lived.

----
§ 23.181 Dynamic stability.
(a) Any short period oscillation not including combined lateral-directional oscillations occurring between the stalling speed and the maximum allowable speed appropriate to the configuration of the airplane must be heavily damped with the primary controls—
(1) Free; and
(2) In a fixed position.
(b) Any combined lateral-directional oscillations (Dutch roll) occurring between the stalling speed and the maximum allowable speed (VFE, VLE, VN0, VFC/MFC) appropriate to the configuration of the airplane with the primary controls in both free and fixed position, must be damped to 1/10 amplitude in:
(1) Seven (7) cycles below 18,000 feet and
(2) Thirteen (13) cycles from 18,000 feet to the certified maximum altitude.
(c) If it is determined that the function of a stability augmentation system, reference § 23.672, is needed to meet the flight characteristic requirements of this part, the primary control requirements of paragraphs (a)(2) and (b)(2) of this section are not applicable to the tests needed to verify the acceptability of that system.
(d) During the conditions as specified in § 23.175, when the longitudinal control force required to maintain speeds differing from the trim speed by at least plus and minus 15 percent is suddenly released, the response of the airplane must not exhibit any dangerous characteristics nor be excessive in relation to the magnitude of the control force released. Any long-period oscillation of flight path, phugoid oscillation, that results must not be so unstable as to increase the pilot's workload or otherwise endanger the airplane.