Definition
An aircraft engine that is not running and is producing no power. The term applies whether the engine has stopped due to a failure, has been deliberately shut down, or has not been started.
Plain English
An engine that is off and not making any power. It might have failed, or the pilot might have shut it down on purpose.
Context Anchor
Used in engine-failure procedures, especially in multi-engine training and emergencies.
Derivation
Dead comes from an old word meaning lifeless or inactive. In aviation, it points to the engine being inactive as a source of power, not necessarily ruined or beyond repair.
Why Pilots Care
Quick identification of a dead engine is essential in multi-engine aircraft to maintain control, reduce drag, and follow the correct emergency procedures for a safe outcome.
Intuition Check
Dead does not mean the engine is permanently destroyed. Here it means the engine is not producing usable power for flight.
Example Sentence 1
After the failure, the instructor walked the student through identifying the dead engine before feathering the propeller.
Example Sentence 2
Losing a dead engine on takeoff requires immediate corrective action to keep the aircraft straight.