Definition
A precision landing maneuver in which the pilot reduces engine power to idle abeam a preselected touchdown point on the runway, then flies a 180° turning descent — typically through the base and final legs of the traffic pattern — and lands the airplane on or within a designated distance beyond that preselected point, without adding power.
Plain English
The pilot pulls the throttle to idle next to a chosen spot on the runway, glides through a half-circle turn back to the runway, and tries to land right at that spot — all without using engine power again.
Context Anchor
Seen in landing instruction, commercial pilot training, and discussions of teaching landings and managing landing risk.
Derivation
‘180°’ refers to the half-circle of turning the airplane makes from the abeam position back to the runway. ‘Power-off’ means the throttle stays at idle. ‘Accuracy’ signals that the pilot is judged on how close the touchdown lands to the chosen spot — not just on making a safe landing.
Why Pilots Care
Develops the skills needed to handle an actual engine failure and make a safe, accurate landing from any position in the traffic pattern.
Grounding Statement
The key idea is judging whether the airplane has enough height and distance to glide to the chosen landing spot without adding power.
Intuition Check
Do not read “power-off” as “turn the engine off.” In this training context, it normally means reducing the throttle to idle and flying the airplane as a glide. “Accuracy” does not mean a perfect landing; it means touching down at or very near the selected spot.
Example Sentence 1
On the downwind leg, the student pulled the throttle to idle abeam the numbers and began a 180° power-off accuracy approach and landing, aiming to touch down on the first runway stripe.
Example Sentence 2
During the lesson, the student performed a 180° power-off accuracy approach and landing from the downwind leg to a spot landing on the runway.