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Quiz: Are You Ready For These 6 Aircraft Emergencies?

This story was made in partnership with AOPA. Ready to join the largest aviation community in the world? Sign up and become an AOPA Member today.
Corey Komarec

Are you ready for an emergency?


  1. 1) You're flying your 172 in cruise flight when an engine oil line breaks and starts draining oil into the cowling. Your oil pressure starts dropping as you divert to an airport, and by the time you enter the traffic pattern, all oil has drained from your engine, but it's still running. When you touch down, will your hydraulic brakes work?

    That's right, your hydraulic brakes will work just fine, because they are powered by a completely separate system. They use brake fluid stored in a dedicated reservoir.

    Your hydraulic brakes will work just fine, because they are powered by a completely separate system. They use brake fluid stored in a dedicated reservoir.

  2. 2) You're caught in a down draft near terrain. What airspeed will give you the best angle of climb over the distance between you and the terrain?

    Yep, Vx will give you the best angle of climb.

    Vx will give you the best angle of climb.

  3. 3) You're flying your Piper Cherokee in cruise flight when your engine RPM starts dropping. You suspect carb ice is the problem, and you turn your carb heat on. Your engine drops another 200 RPM when you turn it on, and runs roughly for about 5 minutes. After that, the RPM increases 100 RPM and the engine smooths out. You wait a few more minutes, turn your carb heat off, and the RPM increases 100 RPM. Did you have carb ice?

    You probably had carb ice. When you turn carb heat on, the RPM drops because you are introducing warmer air into the engine, and you are melting ice from the carburetor and running it through the engine. Eventually, the ice melts and the engine smooths out. And when you turn carb heat off, you're running cooler air into the engine, and RPM will increase again.

    You probably had carb ice. When you turn carb heat on, the RPM drops because you are introducing warmer air into the engine, and you are melting ice from the carburetor and running it through the engine. Eventually, the ice melts and the engine smooths out. And when you turn carb heat off, you're running cooler air into the engine, and RPM will increase again.

  4. 4) You're flying a VFR cross country when you accidentally fly into a cloud. What should you do?

    You should always maintain altitude and fly out the same way you flew in. You don't know what's below you, how high the cloud goes, or how long it continues.

    You should always maintain altitude and fly out the same way you flew in. You don't know what's below you, how high the cloud goes, or how long it continues.

  5. 5) You're flying your Piper Arrow when the alternator fails. You've planned your landing at a non-towered airport, so you turn off your battery master to conserve battery power. As you approach the airport, you select your gear handle down to extend the gear. Will your magnetos power the gear down if your battery master is still off?

    Nope. Magnetos only power the spark plugs in your plane. Everything else runs off the alternator or battery.

    Magnetos only power the spark plugs in your plane. Everything else runs off the alternator or battery.

  6. 6) You're flying into a towered airport when your mic sticks and continuously transmits. You turn your radio off so you aren't stepping on other aircraft. What transponder code should you squawk to let ATC know your radio failed?

    That's right, 7600 is the lost comm squawk code.

    7600 is the lost comm squawk code.

Well, you know a few things about emergency procedures...

You scored %

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You know your emergency procedures...pretty well.

You scored % Not bad, study a little more and you'll be an emergency expert in no time...

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Nice work, you've got your emergency procedures down.

You scored % Well done.

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Ready to join the largest aviation community in the world? Sign up and become an AOPA Member today.


Colin Cutler

Colin Cutler

Colin is a Boldmethod co-founder and lifelong pilot. He's been a flight instructor at the University of North Dakota, an airline pilot on the CRJ-200, and has directed the development of numerous commercial and military training systems. You can reach him at colin@boldmethod.com.

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