Engine Failure on the Runway 22 Climb
Total power loss at 400 ft AGL over open water — the decision to ditch must be made in seconds
The scenario
Departing Peter O Knight Airport (KTPF), Tampa, FL — Runway 22, initial climb on a 217° heading. Elevation 8 ft MSL. The runway is essentially at sea level, and the climb-out environment off Runway 22 is open water — Hillsborough Bay and the Gulf of Mexico beyond.
It is a clear, calm morning in late summer: OAT 26°C, altimeter 29.98, light winds from the east. Visibility 10 SM. Density altitude is elevated — roughly 2,000 ft above field elevation — due to the warm temperature and humidity. The C172M's 150 hp Lycoming O-320 will climb at a marginal rate in these conditions, especially at gross weight.
You are 400 ft AGL, climbing through 78 KIAS (Vy, best rate of climb), heading 217°, when the engine suddenly loses all power. The propeller is windmilling; there is no response to throttle. The water of Hillsborough Bay fills the windscreen ahead. KTPF is non-towered (CTAF); you are in Class G airspace, but the overlying Tampa Class B begins at 1,200 ft MSL. You are below that floor.
Aircraft: Cessna 172M, solo, full fuel (42 gallons usable), within limits. Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 hp, carbureted, fixed-pitch prop, fuel selector on BOTH. The airplane was airworthy at departure; nothing was written up. The preflight was standard.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 180 hours total. You have never executed a water landing. You have read the ditching checklist but have not practiced it. The engine failure is total and immediate; there is no gradual power loss, no roughness, no warning.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KTPF · Peter O Knight'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '8 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'C172M'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Approach'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about engine failure on initial climb over water? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB ERA15LA091 (2014): A Cessna 172 experienced total loss of engine power during cruise flight at 10,500 feet over the Atlantic Ocean and was ditched in the ocean about 5 miles from the nearest land mass. Examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The cause of the power loss could not be determined. The pilot executed a controlled ditching and survived.
NTSB ERA11LA429 (2011): A Cessna 172M experienced partial engine power loss during takeoff. The pilot made a controlled ditching in Lake Okeechobee after being unable to land on the intended runway. The accident resulted from separation of the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve head, with contributing factor of engine operation beyond the manufacturer's recommended time between overhauls. The pilot's misjudgment of position and airspeed during the return to the airport contributed to the ditching.
NTSB ANC08LA007 (2007): A float-equipped Cessna 172M nosed over during a water landing on Rangeley Lake when the pilot's attention was diverted by military helicopters operating in close proximity. The accident resulted from the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare/touchdown.
NTSB IAD02LA003 (2001): A Cessna 172M on a fish spotting flight over the Chesapeake Bay lost engine power at 2,500 feet. The cause of the engine power loss could not be determined. The pilot ditched in 50-foot deep water.
Regional precedent NTSB BFO91LA069 (1991): A Cessna 177RG lost engine power at 300 feet AGL during initial climb. The pilot executed a controlled ditching in the Ohio River. The accident resulted from total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, despite adequate fuel remaining on board. Both occupants survived.
The consistent thread: total or partial engine failure in the C172M can occur with no warning and for reasons that may not be apparent in post-accident examination. When failure occurs at low altitude over water, the decision to ditch must be made immediately — not after attempting a marginal turn-back. The C172M's 150 hp Lycoming O-320 has limited climb performance, especially at high density altitude. At 400 ft AGL over water off Runway 22 at KTPF, altitude is insufficient to return to the airport. Commitment to a controlled ditching is the correct decision.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at Peter O Knight Airport. KTPF has its own accident history (dominant patterns: FORCED_LANDING 19.4%, LOSS_OF_CONTROL_INFLIGHT 16.7%, DITCHING 11.1%), but these specific NTSB events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KTPF to make the off-field environment (open water off Runway 22) real and consequential for you as a student here.
The key lesson: recognize when altitude is insufficient for return to the airport, commit decisively to ditching rather than attempting a marginal glide-back, and execute the controlled water landing procedure. Ditching is survivable when done as a controlled maneuver. Uncontrolled impacts — stalls, spins, nose-overs — are not.
Key lesson — At 400 ft AGL over open water with total engine failure, altitude is insufficient to return to KTPF. The decision to ditch must be made immediately. Establish 65 KIAS best glide, execute the ditching checklist (fuel selector BOTH, mixture rich, master off before impact, doors unlatched, full flaps for slowest touchdown speed), and commit to a controlled water landing. Ditching is survivable; attempting a marginal turn-back at low altitude over water is not.
Debrief — teaching points
At 400 ft AGL over water, altitude is insufficient to return to the airport.
The C172M's best glide speed is 65 KIAS, which yields a glide ratio of roughly 9:1 (9 feet forward for every 1 foot of descent). At 400 ft AGL, you have roughly 3,600 feet of glide distance available. KTPF's Runway 04 is 1.2 nm (6,336 feet) behind you on the departure from Runway 22. The math does not work, especially when density altitude is high and the airplane's climb performance is marginal. Attempting a 180° turn-back at 400 ft AGL over water is a low-probability maneuver. The correct decision is to commit to ditching.
Total engine failure can occur with no warning and for reasons that may not be apparent.
The NTSB cases cited (ERA15LA091, ERA11LA429, IAD02LA003) show engine failures in the C172M that occurred suddenly and for reasons that could not be determined in post-accident examination. There is no gradual power loss, no roughness, no warning. The engine simply quits. This is not a failure of preflight or maintenance; it is a mechanical reality. When it happens at low altitude over water, the response must be immediate: establish best glide and commit to ditching.
Best glide speed is 65 KIAS — establish it immediately and trim for hands-off flight.
The moment engine power is lost, lower the nose to 65 KIAS best glide. Trim the airplane for hands-off flight at this speed. This maximizes glide distance and gives you time to execute the ditching checklist without fighting the controls. Do not attempt to climb or maintain altitude; accept the descent and manage the glide.
The ditching checklist: fuel selector BOTH, mixture rich, master off just before impact, doors unlatched, flaps for slowest touchdown speed.
Fuel selector BOTH (already set in cruise). Mixture rich (to prevent fuel starvation if the engine somehow restarts). Master off just before water contact (to prevent electrical fire). Doors unlatched (so you can exit the airplane after impact). Flaps full (40°) as you approach the water (to reduce touchdown speed — impact energy rises with the square of speed, so 47 KIAS is significantly better than 65 KIAS). Execute this checklist during the glide; do not wait until the last moment.
Impact energy rises with the square of touchdown speed — slowest possible speed is critical.
A touchdown at 47 KIAS (stall speed in landing configuration) has roughly 50% less impact energy than a touchdown at 65 KIAS. Full flaps are the primary tool to achieve the slowest possible touchdown speed. The steeper descent angle is secondary. In a ditching, the slowest possible touchdown speed is the single most important factor for survival.
Communicate on CTAF before ditching — other pilots can relay your position to rescue.
KTPF is non-towered (CTAF). When engine failure occurs, key the CTAF and declare an emergency: 'KTPF traffic, Cessna [N-number], engine failure, initial climb, ditching in the bay.' Other pilots in the area will hear this and can relay your position to the Coast Guard. This increases the speed and accuracy of rescue.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB ERA15LA091 (2014 C172M total engine failure over Atlantic, ditching), ERA11LA429 (2011 C172M partial power loss on takeoff, ditching in Lake Okeechobee), ANC08LA007 (2007 C172M water landing nose-over), IAD02LA003 (2001 C172M engine failure over Chesapeake Bay), and regional precedents ATL97LA099, NYC03LA109, BFO91LA069, ANC13LA048. Anonymized and localized to KTPF.
NTSB reports: ERA15LA091 · ERA11LA429 · ANC08LA007 · IAD02LA003 · ATL97LA099 · NYC03LA109 · BFO91LA069 · ANC13LA048
ACS tasks: PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.I.G — Cross-Country Flight Planning · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.II.B — Engine Starting / Systems Preflight
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.185
Step through the full decision tree, make the calls, and see where each choice leads — then debrief it with your CFI.
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