Originally Posted by
Silverwings
No, but some things are different.
Where I learned to fly if you had an engine failure in IMC (or simulated) you would fly the plane first and then after control was regained you would worry about shooting an approach to land, even if the failure was during an approach.
When I took my check-ride the examiner simulated an engine failure right when I was getting established on the LOC coming at a 30 degree angle.
So I did as I was used to, flew the plane, performed the procedures and then I worried about navigating to a fix where I could resume/restart the approach from. I didn't know at the time that I was supposed to keep tracking of the approach while performing the single-engine procedures.
The examiner told me I had failed and the reason why. We set up a date to go fly again the following week, which we did, and I passed the second time.
What's funny is that when I took the same check-ride abroad for the first time, the examiner's critique was that I should have just flown the plane first before worrying about the approach, he said to keep my a$$ in one piece and then navigate to an airport to land. So keeping that in mind made me fail here, oh well, just another learning experience!
(I taught many Brits. Those that had gotten their initial had a very different take on thing than those taught over here. Which was right depended on who was the Monday morning quarterback.)
I'm glad you took it as a learning experience. Good for you!
There is no absolute about when one responds to a warning and says "Noted, continue." One could argue for and against breaking off the approach to run the checklists for an engine failure. Personally, I agree with your post (going on what details I have): secure the engine, and get on the ground. Had it been an engine fire, I would agree even more. Unfortunately, many examiners believe "mine is the best way to do it." Had your examiner allowed the flight to continue, then in the debrief asked why you did what you did (as I would if I were an examiner), he might have understood your logic and agreed with you. There are many ways to skin a cat. Your choice to continue could have resulted in a good outcome. That said, his choice to stay aloft, run every checklist, then shoot the approach could have resulted in a good outcome. Which is better? Well, that is whichever the NTSB deems correct.