Recognizing what's wrong and flying the right memory items.
By the end of this lesson you can:
Recognize indications of engine/powerplant trouble vs. instrument problems.
State the general response to a hydraulic, electrical, or governor failure.
Emphasize POH memory items and the 'fly the aircraft first' priority.
Explain why correct diagnosis matters before acting.
1 · Powerplant malfunctions
Engine problems show up as RPM changes, abnormal gauges (MAP, oil pressure/temperature), noises, vibrations, or warning lights. The universal first priority is fly the aircraft — protect rotor RPM and airspeed, establish an attitude, pick a landing area — then run the POH procedure. A complete power loss is handled by autorotation (covered in Lesson 28); a partial power loss is flown per the POH while heading toward a landing option.
2 · Systems failures
Hydraulic failure changes control feel (forces increase) — the response is to maintain control and follow the POH, often landing as conditions allow. Electrical issues (alternator/charging) call for load management per the POH. A governor failure means managing throttle/RPM manually. In all cases the pattern is the same: keep flying, identify the failure, and run the correct POH memory items — never guess.
3 · Watch
Curated reference clip — “Landing a Helicopter When the Engine Quits | Autorotation Training,” Micah Muzio (YouTube). Embedded with the creator's player; we don't host or alter it.
Your aircraft: the exact emergency procedures and memory items are in your Robinson R44 POH, Section 3 (Emergency Procedures). These steps are aircraft-specific — learn and confirm them from the POH, not from this overview.
✍️ Fill in for the aircraft you fly (N-________)
Value / limit:
R44 POH section & page:
Leave blank until you look it up in your R44 POH (see the reference above) and confirm it with your CFI. Aircraft-specific numbers vary with weight & conditions — don’t guess.
Risk management (the “Consider”): the two failure modes that hurt people are misdiagnosis (treating the wrong problem) and delay (analyzing instead of flying). Fly first — RPM and airspeed — then diagnose, then act with the correct POH procedure. Practiced memory items turn a startle into a sequence you can execute.