Definition
A stall that occurs when the airplane is flown with the controls crossed — typically with rudder applied in one direction and aileron applied in the opposite direction — while the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack. It most often happens in a skidding turn from base to final, where the pilot uses excessive inside rudder to tighten the turn and opposite aileron to keep the bank from steepening, often combined with back pressure to hold altitude. The result is a sudden, asymmetric stall that can roll the airplane rapidly toward the inside of the turn, frequently with the nose dropping below the horizon.
Plain English
A stall that happens when you are pushing the rudder one way and the ailerons the other way at the same time, usually while pulling back on the controls. The airplane stalls suddenly and rolls sharply, often without much warning.
Context Anchor
Encountered in stall training, especially when learning why a skidding turn from base to final can be dangerous.
Derivation
“Cross-control” describes the control inputs working against each other — rudder one way, aileron the other — rather than coordinated together. The name points directly to the cause: the controls are crossed when the stall happens.
Why Pilots Care
Cross-control stalls frequently lead to an unintentional spin entry at low altitude, a common factor in fatal general-aviation accidents.
Grounding Statement
Picture an airplane being forced around a turn with too much rudder while the pilot holds opposite aileron to keep the bank from increasing; that crossed-up condition can set up a cross-control stall.
Intuition Check
Do not read “stall” here as an engine stopping. In this term, the wing is what stalls, and the problem is caused by crossed flight-control inputs.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor demonstrated a cross-control stall at altitude so the student could feel how abruptly the airplane rolled when bottom rudder was held in a skidding turn.
Example Sentence 2
Recovering from a cross-control stall requires immediate reduction of angle of attack and coordinated use of rudder and aileron to stop the roll.