Describing a malfunction clearly is a classic ICAO ELP task — in picture prompts, ATC scenarios, and experience questions. Examiners like it because a good answer needs precise vocabulary, logical structure, and calm delivery, all at once.
A three-part structure that always works
Whatever the failure, describe it in the same order:
- What happened: the malfunction itself.
- The effect: what it meant for the aircraft or the flight.
- The action: what you (the crew) did about it.
Engine problems
“We had an engine failure shortly after takeoff. The aircraft yawed toward the failed engine, so we applied rudder to keep straight, secured the engine, and returned for a single-engine landing.”
Key words: engine failure, flame-out, loss of thrust, shut down / secure the engine, single-engine.
Bird strike
“During the climb we suffered a bird strike on the number-two engine. There was a loud bang and a smell of burning, and engine vibration increased. We reduced thrust on that engine and declared an emergency.”
Key words: bird strike, ingestion, vibration, a loud bang, we declared a MAYDAY.
System failures
- Hydraulic: “We lost hydraulic pressure on system A, which affected the brakes and flaps, so we ran the relevant checklist and planned a longer landing roll.”
- Electrical: “We had an electrical failure and lost several displays, so we reverted to standby instruments.”
- Smoke/fire: “There was smoke in the cockpit, so we donned oxygen masks and diverted to the nearest suitable airport.”
Vocabulary to keep ready
Failure, malfunction, warning light, caution message, to run a checklist, to declare an emergency, to divert, to return to the field, the nearest suitable airport, precautionary landing.
Delivery tips
Stay calm and sequential — panic in your voice reads as low fluency. Don’t over-claim technical detail; a clear, ordered description scores better than a tangle of system names.
Practise it
Take three failures you’ve trained in the simulator and describe each in the what–effect–action order, out loud. Then rehearse with the malfunction scenarios in the Study Hub and read how other pilots described emergencies in our exam reports.