[exleardriver]

it is for this very reason that the teaching of emergency procedures are a significant portion of the fifteen pre-solo flight maneuvers required to be taught to student pilots. i teach engine out at altitude (above 2,500 agl) and low altitude (500 - 1,000 agl) over open fields/terrain, but also in the pattern abeam the numbers and on x-wind, just before the downwind turn. i actually witnessed the death of a friend 10-12 years ago who lost an engine on x-wind. rather than immediately shallow-banking back towards the runway, pitching for best glide, he became distracted trying to attempt an engine start, went into the trees and exploded with his young nephew aboard. i had a student pre-flighting a c-150..we ran to this truck and drove to the woods, but the heat from the blaze prevented us from getting within 50 yards of the inferno. i also teach, but don't demonstrate in pattern, that any engine loss in a single means landing straight ahead, doing one's best to avoid hurting others on the ground while securing the plane. one can also do a good job of demonstrating why the 180-degree turn after engine-losson take-off doesn't work: take them up to altitude and pick an altitude as your 'airport elevation'. have them try a climb from there and pull the throttle back to idle and ask them to perform the 180 maneuver. watching themselves descend through 'field elevation' drives the point home better than anecdote. then ask them to imagine how much worse it actually is with the zero-thrust condition of a failed engine..

very, very sorry to learn of this tragedy. my deepest condolences to their families, you and the rest of your local aviation community..