Definition
A stall practiced or encountered with the engine at idle or a low power setting, simulating the aerodynamic conditions of a normal approach to landing. The airplane is configured for landing (gear down if applicable, flaps extended), and back pressure is progressively increased until the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack and stalls.
Plain English
It is a stall flown the way you would set up for landing — engine pulled back, flaps and gear out — so you learn to recognize and recover from a stall in the conditions where one is most likely to happen on final approach.
Context Anchor
Encountered in stall training, especially when learning approach-to-landing stalls and safe recovery technique.
Derivation
“Stall” originally means to stop or come to a standstill. In aviation, it does not mean the engine stops; it means the wing stops flying normally because its angle to the airflow is too high. “Power-off” means the engine is set to idle or very low power for the maneuver.
Why Pilots Care
Understanding this stall teaches pilots how the airplane behaves when power is reduced on approach, helping them avoid unintentional stalls near the ground.
Grounding Statement
Picture reducing power for landing and then raising the nose too much; a power-off stall shows what that situation feels like before it becomes dangerous.
Intuition Check
“Power-off” does not usually mean the engine is shut down; in this training maneuver, it normally means the throttle is at idle or very low power. “Stall” does not mean the engine quit; it means the wing is no longer producing enough lift because its angle to the airflow is too high.
Example Sentence 1
During training, the instructor demonstrated a power-off stall by reducing throttle to idle, extending the flaps, and slowly raising the nose until the stall warning sounded.
Example Sentence 2
The student recovered promptly from the power-off stall by lowering the nose and adding full power.