Definition
A flight condition in which the airplane is approaching a stall but has not yet stalled, with the wing's angle of attack near, but still below, the critical angle of attack. Recognition cues typically include reduced airspeed, light buffet, sluggish controls, and activation of the stall warning device. Recovery is initiated at the first indication, before the wing actually stalls.
Plain English
The airplane is right on the edge of stalling but hasn't stalled yet. The pilot recognizes the early warning signs and recovers before the wing stops flying.
Context Anchor
Pilots encounter this term during stall training, slow flight, takeoff and landing practice, and any situation where the airplane is flown close to its lowest safe flying speed.
Derivation
From the Latin 'impendere,' meaning 'to hang over' or 'to be about to happen.' An impending event is one that is imminent but has not occurred yet — fitting precisely: the stall is close, but not happening.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing an impending stall lets the pilot begin recovery before a full stall develops, limiting altitude loss and preserving control.
Intuition Check
Do not read “stall” here as an engine stopping. An impending stall is about the wing getting too close to losing smooth lift, not the engine quitting.
Example Sentence 1
At the first indication of an impending stall, the pilot reduced the angle of attack and added power to recover.
Example Sentence 2
At the first sign of an impending stall the pilot lowered the nose and added power to recover.