What is an emergency? It seems like an easy question to answer, and for the most part, it is. You might have already thought of a few examples. Most of us define emergency by the training standards. But you should add high levels of aeronautical decision making (ADM) to the definition.

Distress v. Urgency

According to AIM 6-1-2, an emergency is classified either as a distress or urgency condition. Distress is further defined as a condition of being threatened by serious and/or imminent danger and of requiring immediate assistance. Urgency is defined as a condition of being concerned about safety and of requiring timely but not immediate assistance. Examples of urgent conditions include mechanical malfunction, electrical failure, weather, or a sick passenger.

During distress conditions, you are facing something threatening life onboard that needs to be addressed as soon as possible, such as an inflight fire, engine failure, mechanical failure of a vital component, severe structural damage, critically low fuel, or a passenger requiring immediate medical attention. Bear in mind an urgency condition may not be unchanging, but it may very quickly evolve into a distress situation. These definitions are a great starting point, but they leave room for interpretation determined by the pilot, location, aircraft, weather, passenger situation, and other factors.

Emergency Scenario 1: Flap Failure

If you encounter a flap extension failure in a Cessna 172, it is far from an emergency. It means you must adjust your final approach speed and may not be able to land on your friend’s 2,500-foot strip. The pilot of a corporate jet or airliner might have a different point of view. Their landing speed may need to increase so much that the 6,400-foot runway at the Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport (KBUY) is suddenly a whole lot shorter or is no longer an option.

For example, the CRJ’s no flap landing speed is 172 KIAS. For perspective, the max ground speed for the tires is 182 knots. A landing speed of 172 knots is fast — one football field per second fast! That means the pilot is severely restricted to the places they can land. If there is not a long enough runway within range, the emergency went from urgent to distress. It would be completely reasonable for the pilot to declare an emergency to get help in finding an airport and summoning emergency equipment on standby.

Emergency Scenario 2: Engine Failure

Here is a situation for my multi-engine-rated pilots. An engine failure is certainly a serious situation but is it always an emergency? That depends on the pilot, plane, and present flying conditions. A Piper Seminole pilot on a summer day in Denver is declaring an emergency and looking for a field because they know they are not staying in the air in that high-density altitude environment in a plane with two archers strapped to the wings.

A Baron pilot in Burlington, N.C., in the middle of winter shows no concern because they know their single-engine service ceiling is well over 5,000 feet. This does not mean it is fine for the Baron pilot to continue the trip to Key West on one engine. But it does not mean they have to land at the first possible landing spot either. It all comes down to the situation currently present.

Emergency Scenario 3: Lost Comms

Here is a final scenario for my fellow IFR pilots: a lost comms scenario. We are taught in instrument training that the loss of two-way radio communications it is not necessarily an emergency. We should squawk 7600 and follow the acronym AVE-F-MEA, found in 14 CFR 91.185. Imagine you just took off from KBUY on an IFR flight to Nashville, Tenn. You are in IMC, and it is forecasted to be that way the entire flight. Shortly after initial contact with Greensboro approach, you suddenly lose radio communication. Your training kicks in and you turn to 91.185.

Can you deviate from this regulation should your comms failure be a sign of a more serious electrical issue and thus an emergency? Yes, according to 14 CFR 91.3 (b), which states, “In an in-flight emergency requiring immediate action, the pilot in command may deviate from any rule of this part to the extent required to meet that emergency.”

When confronted by a situation not covered in the regulations, pilots are expected to exercise good judgment in whatever action they elect to take. In fact, AIM 6-4-1(a) states that it is impossible for the FAA to provide regulations and procedures applicable to all possible situations associated with two-way radio communications failure.

To Declare or Not to Declare?

Overall, a pilot should never hesitate to declare an emergency and take whatever actions are necessary to ensure the safety of the flight. Do not hesitate to declare an emergency when you are faced with distress conditions such as fire, mechanical failure, structural damage, or any of the situations I mentioned.

You might be reluctant to report an urgency condition when you encounter situations that may not be immediately perilous but are potentially catastrophic. If you are like most pilots, you are hesitant to declare an emergency because of the paperwork that might be involved. An informal survey of pilots who have declared an emergency, however, indicates that none had to file paperwork or encounter red tape. In every emergency, the tower has given the pilot priority handling. In every emergency, the FAA’s greatest concern is keeping you safe.

An aircraft is in at least an urgency condition the moment the pilot becomes doubtful about their situation, whether that is their position, fuel endurance, weather, or any other condition that could adversely affect flight safety. It is completely possible for a situation to deteriorate to a more threatening one. That is the time to ask for help, not after the situation has developed into a distress condition. And never forget the most important rule when flying: Aviate, Navigate, and Communicate.

Trevor Nabors’ interest in aviation began with a discovery flight when he was 10 years old. When he became old enough to fly, he capitalized on his dreams by working in aviation and earning a degree in Aviation Management from Guilford Technical Community College. Learn more about Trevor and the rest of the Elon Aviation staff at www.elonaviation.com.