All Engine Failure: When Both Engines Stop—Your Complete Guide to Survival

When both engines fail on the A320/A321, you face one of aviation's most challenging scenarios. But here's what every pilot needs to understand: this aircraft was designed to handle this emergency. Your training, the aircraft's systems, and proper procedure execution give you multiple paths to a successful outcome. The key is understanding what happens to your aircraft and making the right decisions quickly.

Understanding What Just Happened

Complete engine failure transforms your aircraft instantly. You've lost thrust, making level flight impossible, but more critically, you've lost the primary source of electrical and hydraulic power that runs most of your systems. The flight warning computer will typically alert you with an ECAM message, but sometimes you'll need to recognize partial thrust loss manually when engines haven't completely flamed out.

The moment both engines fail, several automatic systems activate to keep you flying. The Ram Air Turbine (RAT) deploys automatically, spinning in the airstream to generate emergency electrical power through the emergency generator. This powers your essential AC and DC buses, keeping critical flight instruments and controls operational. However, you'll lose green and yellow hydraulic systems, leaving only the blue system pressurized by the RAT.

Your cockpit transforms dramatically: autopilot, flight director, and autothrust disconnect immediately. The aircraft reverts to alternate law, removing many protections you're accustomed to. The first officer's displays go dark, making the captain the pilot flying by default since Primary Flight Display (PFD) 1 remains operational. This isn't the time for role confusion—the captain flies while the first officer manages ECAM procedures.

The Critical First Decision: Time vs. Altitude

Your immediate choice determines everything that follows: Do you have time to attempt engine relights, or must you prepare for an emergency landing immediately? This decision depends on your altitude, rate of descent, weather conditions, terrain, and available landing sites. Higher altitude gives you more time and options; low altitude demands immediate preparation for landing.

If you choose the ALL ENG FAIL (e)QRH procedure, you commit to relight attempts while managing a controlled descent. If you select the EMER LANDING procedure, you accept that engines won't restart and focus entirely on landing preparation. Don't second-guess this decision—commit to your choice and execute it thoroughly.

Engine Relight: Your Best Hope for Normal Operations

The ECAM displays your optimum relight speed based on engine type—this isn't arbitrary. This speed ensures adequate airflow through the engines while preventing excessive descent rates that could compromise your relight envelope. Windmill relight is your preferred method because it works across a broader altitude range, allows simultaneous attempts on both engines, and doesn't depend on other aircraft systems.

Set thrust levers to idle detent during relight attempts to prevent dangerous thrust surges if an engine catches. The procedure prioritizes windmill relight first, approaching FL250 or below, but if unsuccessful and you're below FL200, APU bleed air can assist with starter-assisted relight. Remember: each APU start attempt costs about 3.5 min of battery life, but you have over 30 min of battery-powered flight time available.

If fuel starvation causes the failure, engine relighting becomes impossible regardless of the technique. The (e)QRH includes fuel level checks to identify this scenario quickly. Similarly, relight attempts may prove futile if engines have suffered damage from volcanic ash ingestion or other causes. Don't persist with relight attempts if engine parameters show no improvement or time and altitude constraints make success unlikely.

When Relight Isn't Possible: Maximizing Your Glide

If engines won't restart, your aircraft becomes a glider—but a sophisticated one. Fly at Green Dot speed to maximize glide time and distance. This speed, provided in (e)QRH tables based on weight and altitude, gives you the best lift-to-drag ratio for your current configuration. Every knot above or below this speed reduces your gliding capability.

If fuel remains available, start the APU below FL250 to restore electrical power and display units. Below FL200, APU bleed air can restore cabin pressurization, buying you time and keeping passengers conscious. However, these benefits should be balanced against the time required for APU start procedures—sometimes, immediate landing preparation takes priority.

The RAT provides hydraulic power to the blue system, but you'll lose the right aileron's normal control when the green and yellow systems fail. The aileron defaults to its zero hinge moment position, creating an up-floating tendency. Counter this with rudder trim to create controlled sideslip, maintaining roll control through rudder inputs. Avoid large or rapid rudder movements when relying solely on RAT hydraulic power.

Approach and Landing: Configuration Challenges

Your approach will be unlike any normal landing. Only slats will be available for configuration—no flaps, no normal spoilers, no normal braking systems. This means higher approach speeds and longer landing distances. Plan your energy management carefully, maintaining a higher-than-normal glide path since you can't add power to correct for being low.

Extend the landing gear using gravity extension to absorb impact energy for a forced landing on a runway. The gear also provides additional drag to steepen your descent if needed. Use speed brakes judiciously to increase the descent rate if you're too high to reach your landing area, but remember, you only get one chance with this approach.

After touchdown, braking relies entirely on the brake accumulator, which has limited pressure. Since anti-skid systems are unavailable, limit brake pressure to 1000 PSI. Use the rudder for directional control at higher speeds, transitioning to differential braking at lower speeds. Don't release brakes unnecessarily—accumulator pressure is precious and non-renewable.

Ditching: When Water Is Your Only Option

If no suitable landing surface exists, prepare for ditching. Activate the DITCHING pushbutton to close all underbelly valves before water impact. Keep landing gear retracted for ditching—extended gear would likely cause the aircraft to flip upon water contact.

Aim for minimal vertical speed at touchdown while maintaining proper pitch attitude and level wings. The goal is a smooth water landing that keeps the aircraft intact long enough for evacuation. Your approach technique becomes critical—too steep and you'll break up on impact, too shallow and you might skip and lose control.

System Recovery: When One Engine Relights

If one engine successfully relights, your situation improves dramatically, but doesn't return to normal. The ENG ALL ENGINES FAILURE alert clears, replaced by an ENG 1(2) FAIL alert for the remaining failed engine. You can now attempt to relight the remaining engine using bleed air from the operating engine, but don't let this distract you from flying the aircraft safely.

One operating engine restores normal electrical configuration except for AC ESS and DC ESS buses, which remain powered by the emergency generator. Green and yellow hydraulic systems recover through engine-driven pumps, and the blue electric pump operates from restored electrical power. You now have normal flight controls and can use autopilot to reduce workload.

The Human Factor: Managing Workload and Stress

ALL ENG FAIL scenarios create an enormous workload and stress. The pilot flying must establish a safe flight path immediately, while the pilot monitoring handles ECAM procedures systematically. Don't rush ECAM actions—errors compound quickly in emergencies. When time permits, use VHF1 to contact ATC for assistance with traffic separation, safe headings, or information about nearby suitable airports.

Inform cabin crew early about the situation so they can prepare passengers and the cabin for an emergency landing or ditching. Their preparation time directly affects survival rates in severe scenarios. Balance thoroughness with urgency—some actions, like slats extension, take considerable time and must be started early enough to complete before landing.

Remember: your A320/A321 was designed to handle this emergency. The RAT, emergency generator, and blue hydraulic system provide the minimum systems needed to fly and land safely. Your training prepared you for this scenario. Trust your procedures, make decisive choices, and execute them thoroughly. Many crews have successfully handled ALL ENG FAIL scenarios through proper technique and systematic procedure execution.

The aircraft will glide, the controls will respond, and you have the tools to reach a safe landing. Your job is to use them effectively while managing this emergency's enormous challenges.

A complete guide to A320 dual engine failure – RAT deployment, relight strategy, glide management, and how to reach a safe landing when both engines stop.