Aerodynamic Stalls: Types, Recovery Procedure, and Why Stall Training Changed After 2009
- Nathan Hodell
- Dec 16, 2025
- 13 min read
Updated: Aug 5
A stall is not an engine problem, and it is not the airplane "running out of speed." It is a purely aerodynamic event: the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, the airflow separates from the upper surface, and lift collapses. That definition is simple, but the training around it has undergone the most significant change in decades — because two catastrophic accidents in 2009 revealed that a generation of pilots had been taught to do exactly the wrong thing when the stall warning activated. Understanding stalls today means understanding not just the aerodynamics, but the recovery procedure as it is now taught and why it changed.
This post covers aerodynamic stalls in practical depth: what actually happens at the wing, the stall types and how each is flown, the warning signs and what certification requires of them, the modern FAA recovery template step by step, the training philosophy change after 2009, secondary stalls and common recovery errors, and the special stall hazards in certain aircraft designs.
Study this full length lesson (video, podcast, flashcards, and quiz) here: Full Length Lesson >
What Actually Happens at the Wing
A stall is airflow separation, and understanding the physical event clarifies the recovery.
The progression:
At normal angles of attack, air flows smoothly over the upper surface (attached flow)
As angle of attack increases, the air has to travel a steeper, longer path over the top
The boundary layer of air near the surface loses energy fighting the adverse pressure gradient
At the critical angle of attack, the flow can no longer follow the surface
It separates, becoming turbulent and detached
What separation produces:
The coefficient of lift drops sharply
Drag increases significantly
The pressure difference that produced lift is largely lost
The wing is stalled
Where separation begins:
Typically starts near the trailing edge and progresses forward as AoA increases
On a well-designed wing, it begins at the wing root
Root-first separation is deliberate (it preserves aileron effectiveness)
Washout and airfoil selection produce this pattern
The buffet:
Separated, turbulent air flows back over the tail
This produces the airframe buffet pilots feel
The buffet is a genuine aerodynamic warning, not an artificial one
It's the wing telling you what it's doing
The key point for recovery:
Separation happened because AoA was too high
Reattachment requires reducing AoA
Nothing else reattaches the flow
Not power, not trim, not configuration — only reducing angle of attack
The Fundamental Rule
A stall occurs when the critical angle of attack is exceeded. Always. This has three consequences that must be internalized:
A stall can occur at ANY airspeed:
Including cruise speed, in a steep turn or abrupt pull-up
The airspeed indicator is not a stall indicator
A stall can occur in ANY attitude:
Nose-high, nose-low, level, banked, inverted
Nose attitude is not a stall indicator
A stall can occur at ANY power setting:
Full power, idle, anywhere between
Power affects the stall speed slightly, not the critical angle
(For the load factor math behind accelerated stalls and the aerodynamics of critical angle of attack, see our dedicated post on angle of attack.)
The Stall Types
Different stall types simulate different real-world situations, and each is a training task with its own setup and characteristics.
Power-Off Stall (Approach-to-Landing Stall):
Simulates the approach and landing configuration
Setup: power reduced, flaps and gear extended, descending
The pilot progressively raises the nose to hold altitude as speed decays
Simulates a pilot who slows too much on final
Generally the gentler of the two basic stalls
The real-world scenario: getting slow on final approach
Power-On Stall (Departure Stall):
Simulates takeoff and initial climb
Setup: full or high power, takeoff configuration, nose raised
Higher power means a steeper nose attitude before the stall
Torque and P-factor produce a strong left-turning tendency
More likely to break with a wing drop
The real-world scenario: over-rotating on takeoff or a botched go-around
Accelerated Stall:
Occurs above the normal 1G stall speed
Caused by increased load factor (steep turn, abrupt pull-up, turbulence)
Setup: a level steep turn with progressive back pressure
Often more abrupt than a 1G stall
The real-world scenario: an aggressive maneuver or a tight pattern turn
Cross-Control Stall:
The most dangerous of the training stalls
Occurs in uncoordinated flight, typically a skidding turn
Setup: bank one direction, opposite aileron, rudder into the turn (crossed controls)
The inside wing stalls first
Produces a rapid roll and potential spin entry
The real-world scenario: the base-to-final overshoot corrected with rudder
Usually demonstrated by instructors at altitude, not practiced repeatedly
Elevator Trim Stall:
A CFI-level demonstration
Setup: trimmed for approach (nose-up trim), then apply go-around power abruptly
The nose-up trim plus power produces a strong pitch-up
The pilot must apply forward pressure to prevent the stall
Teaches trim awareness during go-arounds
The real-world scenario: a go-around from a well-trimmed approach
Secondary Stall:
A stall that occurs DURING the recovery from a previous stall
Caused by pulling back too soon, before flying speed is regained
Demonstrates the consequence of rushing the recovery
Covered in more detail below
Warning Signs and What Certification Requires
Aircraft are designed to warn pilots before the stall, and the requirements are specific.
The certification requirement:
Under legacy Part 23 certification, aircraft must provide a clear and distinctive stall warning
The warning must begin at least 5 knots, but not more than 10 knots, above the stall speed
It must be evident in straight and turning flight
It may be aerodynamic (buffet) or artificial (horn/light)
The warnings you'll actually get:
Artificial warning (horn or light):
Triggered by an AoA-sensing vane or reed in the leading edge
Sounds at a set angle of attack, not a set airspeed
Can activate at high indicated airspeeds in a turn
If it sounds, you are near critical AoA regardless of what the airspeed reads
Aerodynamic buffet:
Turbulent separated air striking the tail
A physical shaking felt through the airframe
Genuine aerodynamic feedback
Increases as the stall approaches
Mushy, ineffective controls:
Control response degrades as the wing approaches stall
Larger inputs produce less result
A tactile warning
High nose attitude (in some stalls):
Present in 1G stalls
Absent in accelerated and cross-control stalls
Not a reliable universal warning
Decaying airspeed:
Present in 1G stalls
Absent in accelerated stalls
Again, not universal
The lesson about the warnings:
Some warnings (nose attitude, decaying airspeed) only appear in the gentle, 1G stalls practiced in training. The warnings that appear in ALL stalls are the AoA-based ones — the horn and the buffet. Those are the ones to trust.
The Modern Stall Recovery Template
The FAA's current stall recovery procedure follows a specific sequence, and the order matters.
Step 1 — Disconnect the autopilot and autothrottle (if applicable):
Automation may be contributing to the condition
Manual control is required for recovery
In light GA aircraft without automation, skip to step 2
Step 2 — Pitch nose-down until the stall warning is eliminated:
This is the critical step and it comes first
Reduce angle of attack until the warning stops
This may require a significant nose-down input
It may require pushing to a nose-low attitude
Nothing else works until this is done
Step 3 — Bank wings level:
Roll to wings level using coordinated aileron and rudder
Level wings reduce load factor and stall speed
Do not use aileron to pick up a dropping wing while still stalled (use rudder to control yaw)
Step 4 — Apply thrust as needed:
Power assists the recovery and minimizes altitude loss
But power does NOT recover the stall — reducing AoA does
In some aircraft, excessive power aggravates the pitch-up
Power is an aid, not the fix
Step 5 — Retract speed brakes or spoilers (if extended):
Reduces drag
Applicable in aircraft so equipped
Step 6 — Return to the desired flight path:
Once flying speed is restored and the wing is flying
Smoothly transition to climb or level flight
Avoid abrupt pull-up (secondary stall risk)
The single most important thing:
Step 2 comes before everything else. Reducing angle of attack is not one of several equally weighted actions — it is THE recovery. Everything else is refinement.
Why Stall Training Changed: The 2009 Lessons
This is the part of stall training most pilots trained before roughly 2012 were never taught, and it matters.
The old emphasis:
For decades, stall training emphasized "recover with minimum altitude loss"
Checkride standards graded altitude loss
Pilots were rewarded for aggressive power application and minimal nose-down input
The implicit lesson: pushing the nose down is a failure to be minimized
Why that was a problem:
It trained a reluctance to reduce angle of attack
It taught power as the primary recovery tool
At altitude in a swept-wing transport, power alone cannot recover a stall
The habit could become an instinct that resisted the correct action
Colgan Air 3407 (February 2009):
A Bombardier Q400 on approach to Buffalo, New York
Airspeed decayed unnoticed during approach configuration changes
The stick shaker (stall warning) activated
The captain responded with sustained aft column input — pulling back against the warning
The aircraft stalled and impacted terrain; 50 people died
The NTSB identified the captain's inappropriate response to the stall warning as the probable cause
Air France 447 (June 2009):
An Airbus A330 over the Atlantic
Pitot icing produced unreliable airspeed and autopilot disconnect
The pilot flying made sustained nose-up inputs
The aircraft stalled at cruise altitude and descended, fully stalled, into the ocean
228 people died
The aircraft remained stalled for the entire descent — a recoverable condition that was never recovered because AoA was never reduced
The common thread:
In both accidents, trained professional pilots responded to a stall by pulling back. The aerodynamic fix — push forward, reduce AoA — was available the entire time and was not applied.
What changed as a result:
The Airline Safety and FAA Extension Act of 2010 mandated improved stall training
FAA Advisory Circular 120-109 (2012), updated as 120-109A (2015), rewrote stall training guidance
The emphasis shifted from "minimum altitude loss" to "reduce angle of attack first"
Altitude loss is now explicitly accepted as a consequence of a correct recovery
Training moved from "approach-to-stall recovery" toward full stall recognition and recovery
Upset Prevention and Recovery Training (UPRT) became a formal discipline
What this means for you:
If you were trained to recover with minimal altitude loss, that emphasis has changed
Reduce the angle of attack decisively, even if it costs altitude
A recovered airplane 300 feet lower is a success
A stalled airplane that held its altitude for two more seconds is not
Secondary Stalls
A secondary stall is a stall that occurs during the recovery from the first one, and it's the most common recovery error.
How it happens:
The pilot lowers the nose and the stall warning stops
Feeling the recovery is complete, the pilot pulls back to arrest the descent
But flying speed has not yet been regained
The pull increases AoA past critical again
A second stall occurs, often more abrupt than the first
Why pilots do it:
The nose-low attitude is uncomfortable
Instinct says to stop the descent
Altitude loss feels like failure
The old "minimum altitude loss" training reinforces the impulse
The prevention:
After reducing AoA, WAIT
Let airspeed build before raising the nose
Recover smoothly and progressively, not abruptly
Accept the altitude loss as part of the correct recovery
The training value:
Demonstrating a secondary stall teaches patience
It shows the consequence of rushing
It reinforces that the recovery isn't complete when the horn stops
Common Recovery Errors
Not lowering the nose enough:
The most common and most dangerous error
A token forward input that doesn't eliminate the warning
The wing stays stalled
Requires a genuine, sufficient nose-down input
Pulling back too early:
Causes the secondary stall
Rushing to stop the altitude loss
Using aileron to raise a dropping wing:
A stalled wing's aileron deflection can deepen the stall on that wing
Lowering the aileron on the down-going wing increases its AoA further
Can aggravate the roll and promote a spin
Use rudder to control yaw, and reduce AoA to recover — then level the wings
Excessive rudder:
Over-application can induce yaw and promote a spin
Coordinated inputs, not aggressive ones
Relying on power to recover:
Power helps but does not un-stall the wing
In high-power light aircraft, power can worsen the pitch-up
At altitude in transport aircraft, power alone will not recover a stall
Fixating on airspeed:
The airspeed indicator does not indicate the stall
AoA does
Watching the airspeed instead of reducing AoA wastes critical seconds
Special Stall Hazards by Aircraft Design
Not all aircraft stall the same way, and some designs have specific hazards worth knowing.
T-tail aircraft and the deep stall:
On some T-tail designs, the stalled wing's turbulent wake can blanket the high-mounted horizontal stabilizer
The elevator loses effectiveness in the disturbed air
The pilot may be unable to lower the nose
This "deep stall" or "locked-in stall" can be unrecoverable
Affected aircraft have specific placards, stick pushers, or AoA limits
Know your aircraft's characteristics
Swept-wing aircraft:
Tend toward tip stall (the tips stall before the roots)
Tip stall causes the center of lift to move forward, producing a pitch-up
The pitch-up further increases AoA — an aggravating tendency
Wing fences, vortilons, and stall strips are added to control the pattern
Recovery requires deliberate nose-down input
Contaminated wings (ice, frost, snow):
Contamination changes the airfoil shape
Reduces maximum lift and lowers the critical angle of attack
The stall can occur without the normal warning
Published stall speeds no longer apply
Even very thin frost significantly degrades performance
This is why a clean wing is non-negotiable
Aft CG loading:
An aft CG reduces stall speed slightly but degrades stall recovery
The aircraft is less inclined to pitch down naturally
Recovery may be more difficult
Beyond the aft limit, recovery may be impossible
Stall Prevention: The Real Goal
Recovery training exists because prevention sometimes fails. But prevention is the actual objective.
Where stall accidents happen:
Predominantly close to the ground
The traffic pattern, especially base-to-final
Takeoff and initial climb
Go-arounds
Low-altitude maneuvering
Precisely where recovery altitude is unavailable
Prevention practices:
Maintain adequate airspeed margins in the pattern
Keep the aircraft coordinated (watch the ball)
Never use rudder to tighten a turn near the ground
Go around rather than salvaging a bad approach
Recognize the warning signs early and respond immediately
Respect load factor in turns
Fly a clean wing (no contamination)
Manage trim during go-arounds
The recognition-first mindset:
The best recovery is the one you never need
Recognizing the approach to a stall and correcting early prevents the stall entirely
The stall warning is a call to act, not information to note
Common Misconceptions
"A stall means the engine quit."
No. An aerodynamic stall is a wing phenomenon and has nothing to do with the engine.
"Stalls only happen when you're slow."
Stalls happen when critical AoA is exceeded, which can occur at any speed. Accelerated stalls occur well above the published stall speed.
"Adding power recovers a stall."
Power assists and minimizes altitude loss, but only reducing angle of attack un-stalls the wing.
"Recover with minimum altitude loss."
This is the old emphasis and it has been deliberately changed. Reduce AoA first and accept altitude loss.
"If the stall horn stops, the recovery is complete."
The wing is flying again, but flying speed may not be regained. Pulling back at this point causes a secondary stall.
"Use aileron to pick up a dropping wing in a stall."
This can deepen the stall on that wing and promote a spin. Reduce AoA first; use rudder to control yaw.
Why Stall Training Matters
Stall training builds the instinctive response that survives under stress. The value is that:
Recognition becomes automatic (you notice the warnings early)
The correct response becomes reflexive (push, don't pull)
Confidence replaces fear of the maneuver
Understanding replaces memorized airspeed numbers
The stall-spin accident chain is broken at the first link
Aerodynamic stalls are predictable, understandable, and entirely recoverable when the correct action is taken promptly. The two 2009 accidents that reshaped stall training were not caused by mysterious aerodynamics — they were caused by trained pilots pulling when they needed to push. The modern emphasis exists to make sure that never becomes your instinct.
On the Written Test and Checkride
Stalls appear on every checkride, in both the oral and the flight portion. The most commonly tested topics:
The aerodynamic definition (exceeding critical angle of attack)
That stalls occur at any airspeed, attitude, or power setting
The stall types (power-off, power-on, accelerated, cross-control)
Stall warning requirements (5-10 knots above stall)
The recovery procedure (reduce AoA first)
Secondary stalls and recovery errors
Stall prevention in the traffic pattern
The ACS requires demonstration of power-off and power-on stalls, and recognition of the associated warning signs.
Quick Reference
What a Stall Is:
Exceeding the critical angle of attack
Airflow separates from the upper wing surface
Lift drops sharply, drag increases
NOT an engine problem
The Three "Any"s:
Any airspeed
Any attitude
Any power setting
Stall Types:
Type | Simulates | Characteristics |
Power-off | Approach/landing | Gentler, descending |
Power-on | Takeoff/climb | Steep attitude, left-turning tendency |
Accelerated | Maneuvering | Above 1G stall speed, abrupt |
Cross-control | Base-to-final skid | Rapid roll, spin risk |
Elevator trim | Go-around | Strong pitch-up from trim + power |
Secondary | Botched recovery | Occurs during the recovery |
Warning Signs:
Stall warning horn/light (AoA-triggered — trust it)
Airframe buffet (aerodynamic — trust it)
Mushy controls
High nose attitude (only in 1G stalls)
Decaying airspeed (only in 1G stalls)
Certification Requirement:
Warning at least 5 knots, not more than 10 knots above stall
The Recovery Template:
Disconnect autopilot/autothrottle
Pitch nose-down until the stall warning stops (the critical step)
Bank wings level
Apply thrust as needed
Retract speed brakes
Return to desired flight path
The 2009 Training Change:
Colgan 3407 and Air France 447: pilots pulled back in a stall
AC 120-109 / 120-109A rewrote stall training
Old emphasis: minimum altitude loss
New emphasis: reduce AoA first, accept altitude loss
Common Errors:
Not lowering the nose enough
Pulling back too early (secondary stall)
Using aileron on a dropping wing
Relying on power to recover
Fixating on airspeed instead of AoA
Special Hazards:
T-tail: deep stall (elevator blanketed, may be unrecoverable)
Swept wing: tip stall causes pitch-up
Contamination: lowers critical AoA, removes normal warning
Aft CG: degrades recovery
Prevention:
Airspeed margins in the pattern
Stay coordinated (watch the ball)
Never rudder-tighten a turn near the ground
Go around instead of salvaging
Clean wing always
Key Principle:
A stall is airflow separation from exceeding critical angle of attack — recoverable only by reducing angle of attack. Push first, then level the wings and add power. Altitude loss is the price of a correct recovery, not a failure. That change in emphasis came from two accidents where trained pilots pulled instead of pushed.
Study Full Aviation Courses:
wifiCFI's full suite of aviation courses has everything you need to go from brand new to flight instructor and airline pilot! Check out any of the courses below for free:
Study Courses:
Checkride Lesson Plans:
Teaching Courses:
Author: Nathan Hodell
CFI, CFII, MEI, ATP, Creator and CEO
Nathan is an aviation enthusiast with thousands of hours of flying and dual instruction over the past 15+ years. Through his aviation career he has been able to earn his ATP, fly as an airline pilot, own/operate flight schools, and create and host wifiCFI.