Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Practice Exam

What should you do first if your engine fails during take-off?

1. Communicate with ATC immediately

2. Navigate toward the nearest airport

3. Aviate by controlling the aircraft

4. Reduce throttle to idle

The correct answer is: Aviate by controlling the aircraft

In the event of an engine failure during take-off, the first priority is to maintain control of the aircraft, which is encapsulated in the principle of "aviate." This means focusing on managing aircraft stability and ensuring that it remains airborne. If you lose an engine immediately after liftoff, your very first action should be to control the aircraft's pitch, roll, and yaw to prevent an uncontrolled descent or a stall. After aviate, the pilot can then communicate with air traffic control, navigate towards the nearest airport, or adjust the throttle as appropriate, but the primary concern must always be keeping the aircraft under control. This prioritization recognizes that without proper control, efforts to navigate or communicate may be ineffective. Proper training and understanding of emergency procedures emphasize the critical nature of maintaining control in such scenarios. Hence, the correct choice emphasizes that the pilot's instinctive action in an emergency should always begin with aviate.