Definition
A pre-briefed course of action a pilot has decided on before takeoff for handling an engine failure or other serious malfunction at low altitude, including which direction to turn, where to land, and what configuration to use, based on runway length, wind, terrain, and aircraft performance.
Plain English
A plan you make before you take off for what you will do if the engine quits or something else goes wrong while you are still low to the ground.
Context Anchor
Used in low-altitude engine failure planning, especially before takeoff, after takeoff, or any time the airplane is close to the ground with few options.
Derivation
Contingency comes from the Latin contingere, meaning 'to happen' or 'to befall.' A contingency plan is a plan for something that might happen. In aviation, the focus is on deciding the response in advance, while the pilot is calm and on the ground, rather than trying to figure it out in the few seconds available after a failure.
Why Pilots Care
Having one prepared allows immediate, correct action without hesitation, directly improving chances of a safe outcome when time and altitude are limited.
Grounding Statement
Before adding power for takeoff, the pilot already knows what they will do if the engine quits while the runway is still ahead, and what they will do if it quits after the runway is no longer usable.
Intuition Check
Do not think of an emergency contingency plan as a vague backup idea. In flying, it means a simple, specific action plan decided before the emergency happens.
Example Sentence 1
Before lining up on the runway, the pilot stated her emergency contingency plan: below 700 feet she would land straight ahead, and above 700 feet she would attempt to return to the field.
Example Sentence 2
Following the emergency contingency plan kept the aircraft under control after the power loss during the low-altitude climb.