Definition
An emergency situation in which the only engine of a single-engine airplane loses partial or total power shortly after the airplane has lifted off the runway, while the airplane is still in the climb phase and at low altitude. The pilot must immediately establish the airplane's best glide attitude, select a landing area generally within a narrow cone ahead of the airplane, and execute a forced landing. Turning back to the departure runway is generally not attempted at low altitudes because the maneuver requires more altitude, time, and skill than most pilots have available.
Plain English
The engine quits or loses power right after you take off, while you are still climbing low above the ground. Because there is only one engine and it has stopped working, the airplane must come down. The pilot has to lower the nose to keep flying speed and pick a place more or less straight ahead to land.
Context Anchor
Encountered in takeoff briefings, emergency training, and practice scenarios for single-engine airplanes.
Derivation
Failure comes from an older word meaning “to fall short” or “not succeed.” In this term, it means the engine has fallen short of its required job: making enough power to continue the takeoff and climb.
Why Pilots Care
This phase offers the least altitude and time for recovery, making it one of the highest-risk engine-failure events with a high likelihood of off-airport landing.
Grounding Statement
Picture the airplane just leaving the runway, the engine power suddenly dropping away, and the pilot having only seconds to lower the nose enough to keep the airplane flying.
Intuition Check
Engine failure does not always mean the engine is destroyed or completely stopped. In this context, it means the engine is no longer producing enough usable power to continue the takeoff safely.
Example Sentence 1
During the takeoff briefing, the pilot stated that in the event of an engine failure after takeoff below 700 feet, they would land straight ahead in the field beyond the departure end of the runway.
Example Sentence 2
The checklist for engine failure after takeoff directs the pilot to land straight ahead if no suitable turn-back altitude exists.