During a descending turn from base to final, a pilot is high and steepens the turn using excessive rudder while holding opposite aileron to prevent the bank from increasing (a cross-controlled, skidding condition), inadvertently increasing the wing's angle of attack. If the airplane stalls in this condition, toward which wing will it most likely spin, and why?
- AToward the lower (inside) wing, since the skid increases its angle of attack beyond the outside wing's angle of attack
- BToward the wing opposite the rudder input, due to adverse yaw from the rudder
- CToward the upper (outside) wing, since the applied aileron deflection increases its angle of attack
- DThe airplane stalls symmetrically since the ailerons are held neutral relative to the turn
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. Toward the lower (inside) wing, since the skid increases its angle of attack beyond the outside wing's angle of attack
In a skidding turn, the nose is yawed toward the outside of the turn relative to the flight path, which increases the relative airflow and angle of attack on the lower (inside) wing while decreasing it on the upper (outside) wing. When the stall occurs, the inside wing — already closer to critical AOA — stalls first and drops, causing the airplane to roll and yaw toward that lower wing, entering a spin in that direction. This is the classic base-to-final stall/spin accident scenario.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. This misapplies adverse yaw, which is a different phenomenon than the skid-induced AOA asymmetry described here.
- C. The upper wing has a lower angle of attack in a skid, not a higher one; it is less likely to stall first.
- D. Ailerons are not neutral in this cross-controlled scenario, and the stall is asymmetric, not symmetric.
Base-to-Final Cross-Control Stall/Spin
A skidding, cross-controlled turn (excessive rudder with opposite aileron) increases angle of attack on the inside/lower wing, causing it to stall first and produce a spin toward that wing — a classic low-altitude accident scenario.
- Skid = nose yawed toward outside of turn relative to flight path
- Inside/lower wing reaches critical AOA first in a skid
- Low altitude leaves little room for spin recovery
Memory trick: Skid steepens the low wing's bite — it stalls and drops first.