Definition
Power-off accuracy approaches are training maneuvers in which the pilot reduces engine power to idle at a planned point and glides the airplane to a touchdown on a preselected spot on the runway, using only pitch, flaps, and flight path adjustments — not power — to control the descent and landing point.
Plain English
A landing practiced with the throttle pulled back to idle, where the pilot has to glide the airplane down and land exactly on a chosen spot on the runway without adding power.
Context Anchor
Seen in landing practice, emergency landing preparation, and checkride training where the pilot must show they can judge and fly a safe landing without relying on power.
Derivation
"Power-off" means the engine is at idle and producing no useful thrust. "Accuracy" refers to landing precisely on a chosen spot, not just somewhere on the runway. Together the phrase describes a glide approach judged by how close the touchdown is to the planned point.
Why Pilots Care
Develops the judgment and energy management needed to safely reach a landing spot after an actual engine failure.
Grounding Statement
Picture pulling the power back, choosing a spot on the runway, and adjusting the airplane’s path so it reaches that spot safely without adding power.
Intuition Check
Do not read “power-off” as meaning the engine must be shut down; in training it usually means the throttle is at idle and the engine is not being used to help the airplane reach the runway. “Accuracy” does not mean perfection; it means controlling the approach closely enough to land at the intended spot or within the required area.
Example Sentence 1
During the practical test, the examiner asked for a power-off accuracy approach to the numbers, so the student pulled the throttle to idle abeam the touchdown point.
Example Sentence 2
Instructors use power-off accuracy approaches to teach precise glide path control without relying on engine thrust.