SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/pilot-steep-turn-nose-low-recovery
In a steep turn the nose drops and you lose altitude. What should you do first?
Reduce the bank angle first, then raise the nose with back pressure.
- Pull back hard on the elevator only
- Add full power and keep the bank
- Shallow the bank, then raise the pitch ✔
Why: In a steep bank, elevator alone can steepen the bank and add unnecessary stress. Shallowing the bank first lets back pressure raise the nose and stop the descent.
Huh, didn't know that: The FAA says altitude deviations are the main errors pilots make in steep turns.
My steep turns are like my diet. I keep losing altitude and finding it again.
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References
Answer: Shallow the bank, then raise the pitch. In a steep bank, elevator alone can steepen the bank and add unnecessary stress. Shallowing the bank first lets back pressure raise the nose and stop the descent.
- Airplane Flying Handbook FAA-H-8083-3C, Chapter 10 Performance Maneuvers www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/airplane_handbook/11_afh_ch10.pdf
first reducing the angle of bank with coordinated use of opposite aileron and rudder and then increasing the pitch attitude
Checked 2026-10-09.
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