Several years ago while flying cross-country with a student in his recently purchased Cessna 172 I turned the fuel selector to OFF. Less than ten seconds later- SILENCE. The student looked at me and said, “FIX THAT, BILL.” My reply was a cruel one, hey “I am NOT HERE - YOU THE MAN”. I know this is not politically correct but .. I then marveled at this new aircraft owner as he started to “conduct the Symphony Orchestra.” His right hand was flying and moving all over the various knobs and switches in the cockpit but he never really accomplished anything to help “our” situation. In a single engine airplane the EMERGENCY situation is fairly simple. First, FLY THE AIRPLANE!!! ESTABLISH BEST GLIDE SPEED. This is really most important. If above best glide speed, hold your altitude until you slow to that speed then trim the airplane. A Best Glide speed is usually stated in the manual. Vy speed is called Best Rate for climb. This speed can also be used if no best glide speed is given because it is the best lift over drag speed. With the airplane
trimmed for best glide speed, PICK A PLACE TO LAND AND POINT THE PLANE THERE
One must move aggressively to get to the intended area of landing. Most pilots casually get to glide speed then do not trim the airplane for that speed. We also must know how high above the ground we are. At 1,000 feet above ground level (AGL) we are basically on downwind for a field on the airplane's immediate left or right that is into the wind. Landing near a farm house or golf course or airport gives you the chance of someone seeing you flying low (with the engine sputtering, puffing out
black smoke, heading straight down, etc..ah those eye witnesses) and calling 911 and getting you help. Speaking of 911 those cellular phones are great for calling for help when you did not land close to the above mentioned places and no one saw you. OK. We are FLYING THE AIRPLANE, IT IS TRIMMED AND WE ARE HEADED FOR OUR LANDING SPOT. NOW LET’S RUN THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST:
FUEL SELECTOR- To the fullest tank.
MIXTURE- Full Rich
CARBURETOR HEAT- On or Hot
THROTTLE- Full
IGNITION- Left Magneto then Right Magneto, Both
PRIMER- Closed

In ten seconds we can run this checklist. I prefer to start from the bottom of the floor and work my way up. FUEL SELECTOR gets switched to the tank with the most fuel or to another tank. (Was that tank empty or did it have water? Was the vent clogged?) Then the MIXTURE goes full rich. (Was it too lean of a mixture?) CARBURETOR HEAT is pulled to the HOT or ON position. THROTTLE pushed to full power. IGNITION SWITCH should be turned slowly from BOTH to the LEFT MAGNETO then to the RIGHT MAGNETO. Then back to BOTH. (Was there any difference? Did it run on one magneto?) PRIMER KNOB should be locked in. (If it is out it will enrich the fuel mixture.) This basically covers all things in the fuel, air, and fire category that you can deal with now. NOW FLY THE AIRPLANE TO THE LANDING. If you're going to land short
then land short. Trying to adjust the glide here will get you into the stall then spin accident category. If you're going to hit a pole or tree step on the rudder and have that fixture take off a wing on the right side for you Cessna drivers and the left wing for you Piper Cherokee drivers. When the dust settles you can open your door and walk for help. Glad you landed close to the farm house now aren’t ya’. If you're from Wisconsin and coming back from Da’ Packers game you can put your wedge of cheese on Da’ head and prevent damaging your noodle. You laugh. It happened. Now you really will laugh. This past year in Johnstown, PA a young lad experienced an engine failure in
his Cessna 152. The airplane headed for the trees below when at the last second he unbuckled his seatbelt and shoulder harness. The Cessna hit the trees and the young lad fell out of the plane down to the ground. The evergreen branches he hit slowed and cushioned his fall to the ground. He told
the FAA that he opened his seatbelt because “He just wanted to get out of that situation before hitting the trees.” I can only guess that if that Cessna 152 had a cockpit voice recorder we would have heard this pilot yelling, “Scotty, beam me up.” REMEMBER: FLY*GLIDE * FIX *FINESSE IT TO THE LANDING SPOT

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