Definition
A stall that occurs while the airplane is in a skidding turn, where the rate of yaw is greater than the rate of bank and the airplane is yawing to the outside of the turn. At the stall, the outside (faster) wing tends to drop sharply, often producing a rapid roll toward the inside of the turn and a strong tendency to enter a spin if not corrected immediately.
Plain English
A stall that happens during a turn where the tail is sliding to the outside, like a car sliding wide through a corner. When the wing stops flying, the airplane can roll and snap toward the inside of the turn very quickly.
Context Anchor
Seen when discussing slips, skids, and turn coordination, especially during low-altitude turns such as the base-to-final turn before landing.
Derivation
‘Skid’ comes from old Norse and Old English roots meaning to slip or slide sideways. In flight, the airplane is sliding sideways across its turn rather than slicing cleanly through it — hence ‘skidding.’
Why Pilots Care
Skidding stalls often lead to spins with little altitude for recovery.
Grounding Statement
Picture an airplane turning toward the runway, with the nose being pushed around by too much rudder; if the wing stalls in that condition, the airplane can roll sharply instead of just settling straight ahead.
Intuition Check
A skidding stall is not just a normal stall during a turn. The danger comes from the airplane being uncoordinated when the stall happens, which makes a wing drop and spin more likely.
Example Sentence 1
The instructor demonstrated a skidding stall at altitude so the student could feel how sharply the airplane rolled toward the inside of the turn.
Example Sentence 2
The handbook warns that a skidding stall can occur with little warning if the pilot allows the nose to yaw inward.