Definition
An aerodynamic stall that occurs in a multi-engine airplane while one engine is inoperative or producing significantly less thrust than the other. The asymmetric thrust combined with the loss of lift creates a strong yawing and rolling moment toward the dead engine, which can rapidly progress into a spin if not corrected.
Plain English
A stall that happens in a twin (or other multi-engine) airplane when only one engine is producing power. Because the working engine is pushing on one side and the dead engine is dragging on the other, the airplane wants to roll and yaw hard toward the failed engine, making this kind of stall much more dangerous than a normal one.
Context Anchor
Seen in spin-awareness and multiengine training discussions about avoiding stalls when one engine is not producing power.
Derivation
Single-engine means operating on one engine. Stall originally meant to stop or become stuck; in aviation, it refers to the wing’s airflow breaking down and lift being lost, not the engine stopping.
Why Pilots Care
Recognizing and recovering from a single-engine stall prevents unintended spin entry and loss of control during training or flight.
Grounding Statement
Picture a twin-engine airplane slowing with one engine pulling and the other not helping; as the wings lose normal lift, the airplane can swing and drop a wing instead of simply settling.
Intuition Check
Do not read this as “the engine stalled.” Here, the wings are stalled while the airplane is operating with only one engine producing useful power.
Example Sentence 1
During multi-engine training, the instructor emphasized that a single-engine stall must be avoided because it can quickly become a spin.
Example Sentence 2
During pre-solo practice the pilot performed a single-engine stall at a safe altitude to confirm proper recovery technique before attempting any advanced maneuvers.