IFR Emergencies

• Changing weather conditions, air traffic control (ATC), the aircraft and the pilot are all variables that make instrument flying an unpredictable and challenging operation.
  
   
• The safety of the flight depends upon the pilot’s ability to manage these variables while maintaining positive aircraft control and adequate situational awareness.

An emergency can be either a distress or an urgency condition. 

The pilot may deviate from any rule listed on the FAR to comply with the emergency.

Urgency:  When we talk urgency situation, this means a possible emergency will occur, example: Low fuel, weather.

Declaring an Emergency

• In a distress situation, using the word MAYDAY commands radio silence on the frequency in use.

• When you hear the words PAN-PAN, the urgency situation in progress has priority over all other communication and warns other stations not to interfere with these transmissions

Try using the current ATC facility, if no response, the frequency 121.5 is used across the country for an ​emergency situation, and also the code 7700 is going to trigger an alarm to the radar facility.

• Hail, Severe turbulence, entering a thunderstorm, or icing are potential emergencies.  

• Fuel starvation, inability to maintain MEA  are undeniable emergencies.

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• Any potentially dangerous or unsafe condition the PIC should declare an emergency.

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• A report may be required within 48 hours to the manager or ATC facility.

Malfunction Reports

Report to ATC any loss of equipment regardless of the requirements of the operation. The PIC is required by regulation FAR §91.187.

Include the following information:

1. Aircraft Identification
2. Equipment Affected
3. The degree to which the equipment failure will impair your ability to operate under IFR.
4. Type of assistance desired from ATC.

Minimum Fuel

• Advice ATC if the remaining fuel is such that you can accept little or no delay.

• If fuel indicates you need priority to ensure a safe landing, declare an emergency.

Loss of Primary Flight Instrument Indicators

Depending on the instrument, failure can lead to a distress situation.

Early detection of malfunctions is critical in order to take action; it starts with a preflight inspection.

• alternator belt, antennas, static wicks, anti-icing/deicing equipment, pitot tube, and static ports.

• During taxi, verify the operation and accuracy of all flight
  instruments.

• During the run-up, verify that the operation of the pneumatic system(s) is within acceptable parameters. It is critical that all systems are determined to be operational before departing into IFR conditions.

Prevention Starts with Preflight

• Good Instrument Crosscheck and interpretation are essential skills to handle a gyroscopic instrument failure.

• Check for instruments system warning indicators occasionally as part of your instrument scan.

• After the pilot determines the instrument that failed. He/She MUST cover it to avoid confusion.

• Priority is to maintain the aircraft straight and level.
• Use ATC services like radar and no-gyro approaches.

Loss of Communications 

FAR §91.185

• Try to contact ATC over a different frequency, radio, or even VOR frequencies.

• If unable to establish contact, Squawk 7600 code.

Alerting ATC

VFR conditions: If the failure occurs in VFR conditions, or if VFR conditions are encountered after the failure, each pilot shall continue the flight under VFR and land as soon as practicable.

IFR conditions: If the failure occurs in IFR conditions, or if paragraph (b) of this section cannot be complied with, each pilot shall continue the flight according to the following:

Route

By the last ATC assignation:

Assigned - Route assigned in the last ATC clearance received.

Vectored - Radar vectored, by the direct route from the point of radio failure to the fix, route, or airway specified in the vector clearance

Expected - In the absence of an assigned route, by the route that ATC has advised may be expected in a further clearance

Filed - In the absence of an assigned route or a route that ATC has advised may be expected in a further clearance by the route filed in the flight plan.

1) Route

Altitude

At the highest of the following altitudes or flight levels for the route segment being flown:

MEA - The Minimum Enroute altitude (IFR altitude).

Expected - The altitude ATC has advised may be expected in a further clearance.

Assigned - The altitude assigned in the last ATC clearance received.

2) Altitude

Leaving Clearance Limit

3) Leaving clearance limit

2) Altitude

Some departure or arrival charts will include Lost comm procedures.

Example

Example

Example #2

Radar Approaches

During an instrument failure, your first priority is to FLY THE AIRPLANE, NAVIGATE ACCURATELY, and then COMMUNICATE WITH ATC.

 ATC will instruct you to make turns by saying, “turn right, stop turn,” and “turn left.” You must turn as soon as you receive the instruction and comply with ATC directions by making standard-rate turns until you have been turned onto final. Once on final, all turns should be made at half the standard rate.

No-Gyro Vector and Approach