CA.IX.F — Engine Failure After Liftoff (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
CA.IX.F for the Commercial Pilot Airplane ACS: official objective, references, and 21 exact knowledge, risk-management, and skill descriptions.
FAA-S-ACS-7B, November 2023. This study page does not replace the current FAA publication or an examiner's plan of action.
Official task context
| Certificate or rating | Commercial Pilot |
|---|---|
| Aircraft category | Airplane |
| Area of operation | Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations |
| Task | Task F. Engine Failure After Liftoff (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES) |
| Task code prefix | CA.IX.F |
| Official references | FAA-H-8083-2, FAA-H-8083-3, FAA-H-8083-25; FAA-P-8740-66; POH/AFM |
| FAA document | FAA-S-ACS-7B — Commercial Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards |
| FAA source library | Open the official ACS library |
Official task objective
To determine the applicant exhibits satisfactory knowledge, risk management, and skills associated with engine failure after liftoff.
What the ACS code means
- CA identifies the ACS standard family used for this Commercial Pilot Airplane document.
- IX identifies Emergency Operations, the Area of Operation.
- F identifies Engine Failure After Liftoff (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES), the Task within that Area.
- K, R, and S identify knowledge, risk-management, and skill elements. The number selects the item; a trailing lowercase letter identifies a listed sub-element.
Knowledge elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| CA.IX.F.K1 | Factors affecting minimum controllable speed (VMC). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| CA.IX.F.K2 | VMC (red line), VYSE (blue line), and safe single-engine speed (VSSE). | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| CA.IX.F.K3 | Accelerate/stop and accelerate/go distances. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| CA.IX.F.K4 | How to identify, verify, feather, and secure an inoperative engine. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| CA.IX.F.K5 | Importance of drag reduction, including propeller feathering, gear and flap retraction, the manufacturer’s recommended control input and its relation to zero sideslip. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
| CA.IX.F.K6 | Simulated propeller feathering and the evaluator’s zero-thrust procedures and responsibilities. | Explain the element, apply it to a scenario, and connect the answer to current references or aircraft information when relevant. |
Risk management elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| CA.IX.F.R1 | Potential engine failure after lift-off. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CA.IX.F.R2 | Collision hazards. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CA.IX.F.R3 | Configuring the airplane. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CA.IX.F.R4 | Low altitude maneuvering, including stall, spin, or controlled flight into terrain (CFIT). | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
| CA.IX.F.R5 | Distractions, task prioritization, loss of situational awareness, or disorientation. | Work through a scenario by identifying the hazard, evaluating the risk, and explaining a practical mitigation or decision. |
Skills elements
| ACS code | Official description | How a mock oral can probe it |
|---|---|---|
| CA.IX.F.S1 | Promptly recognize an engine failure, maintain control, and use appropriate emergency procedures. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S2 | Establish VYSE; if obstructions are present, establish best single-engine angle of climb speed (VXSE) or VMC +5 knots, whichever is greater, until obstructions are cleared. Then transition to VYSE. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S3 | Reduce drag by retracting landing gear and flaps in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S4 | Simulate feathering the propeller on the inoperative engine (evaluator should then establish zero thrust on the inoperative engine). | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S5 | Use flight controls in the proper combination as recommended by the manufacturer, or as required to maintain best performance, and trim as required. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S6 | Monitor the operating engine and aircraft systems and make adjustments as necessary. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S7 | Recognize the airplane’s performance capabilities. If a climb is not possible at VYSE, maintain VYSE and return to the departure airport for landing, or initiate an approach to the most suitable landing area available. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S8 | Simulate securing the inoperative engine. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S9 | Maintain heading ±10° and airspeed ±5 knots. | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
| CA.IX.F.S10 | Complete the appropriate checklist(s). | Describe the procedure, interpretation, or decision process that can be discussed during an oral. Physical aircraft performance remains part of the practical test. |
Difficulty data
Difficulty calibration is ongoing for this Task. A difficulty estimate is published only with a sufficiently large, privacy-preserving first directly recorded assessment sample. Any observed difficulty comes from Checkride AI mock-oral practice assessments and is a practice-data proxy, not an FAA practical-test pass or fail rate.
Difficulty calibration remains ongoing until an item clears the private reporting threshold. Percentages, when available, describe the share who needed review on their first directly recorded assessment. Underlying sample sizes are never published, and historical final states are not backfilled into this measure.
Official task notes
- See Appendix 2: Safety of Flight and Appendix 3: Aircraft, Equipment, and Operational Requirements & Limitations for information related to this Task.
How to use this in a mock oral
A mock examiner can ask you to explain the published elements, apply them to the configured aircraft and airport scenario, identify risks, and defend a decision. The prompts are practice scenarios; they are not claimed to be actual FAA examiner scripts or a prediction of the questions you will receive.
Related ACS tasks
- All Commercial Pilot Airplane ACS tasks
60 task-level resources from FAA-S-ACS-7B.
- CA.IX.E — Engine Failure During Takeoff Before VMC (Simulated) (AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- CA.IX.G — Approach and Landing with an Inoperative Engine (Simulated)(AMEL, AMES)
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- CA.IX.A — Emergency Descent
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- CA.IX.B — Emergency Approach and Landing (Simulated) (ASEL, ASES)
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- CA.IX.C — Systems and Equipment Malfunctions
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations
- CA.IX.D — Emergency Equipment and Survival Gear
Area of Operation IX. Emergency Operations