Cessna 172N Emergencies & Lost Comms — Instrument Rating Oral Questions

DPE oral questions · emergencies & lost comms

5 questions a DPE may ask in this section

1. Question 1 · IR.VII.A.K1

   You're IFR at 9,000 feet in IMC on V25 when your radios go silent. You're 30 minutes from your destination with a filed ETA of 1530Z. ATC had assigned you 9,000. The MEA on V25 is 6,000. The highest assigned altitude on this flight was 9,000. You were told to 'expect 8,000 at WAYPO.' Walk through your §91.185 decision-making for route and altitude.

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • First: try everything — both COM radios, different frequencies, 121.5, volume and squelch settings
   • Squawk 7600
   • ROUTE (AVEF hierarchy): A=Assigned (V25 as filed/cleared); V=Vectored (no recent vectors); E=Expected (no expected route given); F=Filed — fly V25 as filed
   • ALTITUDE (MEA hierarchy — fly HIGHEST of): M=Minimum (MEA = 6,000); E=Expected (ATC said 'expect 8,000') → 8,000; A=Assigned (9,000) → 9,000. Highest = 9,000. Fly 9,000.
   • Proceed to destination; leave clearance limit at last ATC-assigned ETA or last filed ETA (1530Z)
   • Begin approach as close as possible to 1530Z ETA

   Common wrong answers

   • Flying MEA (6,000) instead of the highest assigned altitude (9,000)
   • Flying expected altitude (8,000) instead of assigned (9,000) because assigned is highest
   • Not squawking 7600 first
   • Forgetting to keep trying to reestablish communication

   Source14 CFR §91.185; AIM 6-4-1; PilotsCafe IFR Quick-Review p.18

2. Question 2 · IR.VII.A.K1

   You lost comms in IMC AND you are now entering icing conditions at your current altitude. The icing is moderate. Your aircraft is not FIKI certified. You're 40 miles from the destination with MEA below you at 6,000. You're at 9,000. What's your priority of actions?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Icing in a non-FIKI aircraft is an emergency — §91.3 gives PIC authority to deviate from any rule to meet the emergency
   • Declare emergency (squawk 7700) — icing + lost comms = emergency situation
   • Priority: GET OUT OF ICING. Descend if possible to exit icing layer (may descend below MEA per §91.3 emergency authority)
   • Check for VMC below — if you can descend to VFR conditions, do so and land at nearest suitable airport
   • If descending into terrain threat, climb to get above icing layer
   • The AVEF/MEA rules of §91.185 are secondary to immediate safety per §91.3 — but try to follow them to the extent possible
   • After breaking out of icing: reassess, resume lost comm procedures, or continue with emergency declaration

   Common wrong answers

   • Rigidly following §91.185 procedures while accumulating ice dangerously
   • Not invoking §91.3 emergency authority to deviate below MEA when icing is an immediate threat
   • Not squawking 7700 for a combined icing + lost comms emergency

   Source14 CFR §91.3; §91.185; AC 91-74B; PilotsCafe IFR Quick-Review p.18, 24

3. Question 3 · IR.VII.A.K1

   You're IFR in VMC when you lose radio contact. You can see the ground. What does §91.185 say, and what should you do differently vs. being in IMC?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • §91.185(b): If in VMC or if VMC is encountered after losing comms — land as soon as practicable
   • VFR-capable = different outcome than IMC lost comm: you have visual separation and terrain awareness
   • Do NOT execute the full AVEF/MEA/ETA sequence designed for IMC unless you must stay in IMC
   • Find nearest suitable airport, descend VFR, land, notify ATC as soon as possible
   • Still squawk 7600 so ATC knows your situation

   Common wrong answers

   • Following the IMC lost comm procedure when you're actually in VMC (overkill — §91.185(b) simply says land as soon as practicable)
   • Not knowing the VMC vs. IMC distinction in §91.185
   • Forgetting to squawk 7600

   Source14 CFR §91.185(b); PilotsCafe IFR Quick-Review p.18

4. Question 4 · IR.VII.A.K1

   You're IFR, lost comms, and approaching your destination. The clearance limit is KBIG (the airport). You arrive over KBIG early — 12 minutes before your filed ETA. ATC said 'expect the ILS 22, EFC 1445Z.' It's now 1438Z. What do you do?

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • Arrive at clearance limit (KBIG airport): hold in the published pattern if published, or standard pattern if not, on the approach course
   • Hold until the EFC time (1445Z), then begin the approach — §91.185(c)(3)(i) directs you to commence the approach as close as possible to the expect-further-clearance time
   • ETA (1450Z) is AFTER EFC (1445Z), but EFC is the governing trigger. Begin the approach at 1445Z (EFC). ETA is only used if NO EFC was received.
   • At 1445Z (EFC), begin the approach — specifically the ILS 22 as expected
   • The 'Expect ILS 22' in your clearance means fly that approach under §91.185
   • ATC should be issuing light gun signals or clearing other traffic for your approach

   Common wrong answers

   • Beginning the approach at EFC (1445Z) when ETA is later — must hold until the LATER of EFC or ETA
   • Going directly to the IAF without first arriving at the clearance limit
   • Not holding at the clearance limit airport

   Source14 CFR §91.185; AIM 6-4-1; PilotsCafe IFR Quick-Review p.18

5. Question 5 · IR.III.A.K1

   You're established on a Victor airway in IMC. Comms go completely silent — ATC stops responding, and you've been trying for 5 minutes. Walk me through your complete lost comms procedure.

   What a DPE expects to hear

   • First: maintain VFR if able — can you see and fly VFR? If yes, do so and land ASAP
   • Troubleshoot before assuming loss: check volume, squelch, frequency, try other com radio, try guard (121.5)
   • Squawk 7600 (lost communications)
   • Continue to fly the clearance — Route: AVEF (Assigned / Vectored / Expected / Filed)
   • Altitude: MEA = highest of Minimum IFR altitude / Expected altitude / Assigned altitude
   • Proceed to clearance limit (destination or cleared-to fix)
   • At clearance limit: if approach expected, hold as required, begin approach at ETA; descend to land
   • If no approach clearance expected: hold at fix from which approach begins, then approach at ETA
   • Keep trying to re-establish communications on all frequencies — this is from AIM 6-4-1 and general airmanship, not §91.183. §91.183 covers position reporting; lost-comm procedure is in §91.185 + AIM 6-4-1.

   Common wrong answers

   • Going straight to 91.185 procedure without troubleshooting the radios
   • Not squawking 7600
   • Flying assigned altitude only — forgetting to check MEA and expected altitude

   Source14 CFR §91.185; AIM 6-4-1; PilotsCafe IFR Quick-Review p.18