When one engine has failed, the helicopter can often maintain altitude and airspeed until a suitable landing site can be selected. Whether or not this is possible becomes a function of such combined variables as aircraft weight, density altitude, height above ground, airspeed, phase of flight, and single-engine capability. Environmental response time and control technique may be additional factors. Caution must be exercised to correctly identify the malfunctioning engine since there is no telltale yawing as occurs in most multiengine airplanes. Shutting down the wrong engine could be disastrous!

Even when flying multiengine powered helicopters, rotor rpm must be maintained at all costs, because fuel contamination has been documented as the cause for both engines failing in flight.

The flight characteristics and the required crew member control responses after a dual-engine failure are similar to those during a normal power-on descent. Full control of the helicopter can be maintained during autorotational descent. In autorotation, as airspeed increases above 70–80 KIAS, the rate of descent and glide distance increase significantly. As airspeed decreases below approximately 60 KIAS, the rate of descent increases and glide distance decreases.

Pilots become lost while flying for a variety of reasons, such as disorientation, flying over unfamiliar territory, or visibility that is low enough to render familiar terrain unfamiliar. When a pilot becomes lost, the first order of business is to fly the aircraft; the second is to implement lost procedures. Keep in mind that the pilot workload will be high, and increased concentration will be necessary. If lost, always remember to look for the practically invisible hazards, such as wires, by searching for their support structures, such as poles or towers, which are almost always near roads.

If lost, follow common sense procedures.

These common-sense procedures can be easily remembered by using the four Cs: Climb, Communicate, Confess, and Comply.

Pilots should understand the services provided by ATC and the resources and options available. These services enable pilots to focus on aircraft control and help them make better decisions in a time of stress.

When contacting ATC, pilots should provide as much information as possible because ATC uses the information to determine what kind of assistance it can provide with available assets and capabilities. Information requirements vary depending on the existing situation, but at a minimum a pilot should provide the following information:

To reduce the chances of getting lost in the first place, use flight following through active contact with an aircraft during flight either by radio or through automated flight following systems when it is available, monitor checkpoints no more than 25 miles apart, keep navigation aids such as Very High-Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR) tuned in, and maintain good situational awareness. Flight following provides ongoing surveillance information to assist pilots in avoiding collisions with other aircraft.

Getting lost is a potentially dangerous situation for any aircraft, especially when low on fuel. Due to the helicopter’s unique ability to land almost anywhere, pilots have more flexibility than other aircraft as to landing site. An inherent risk associated with being lost is waiting too long to land in a safe area. Helicopter pilots should land before fuel exhaustion occurs because maneuvering with low fuel levels could cause the engine to stop due to fuel starvation as fuel sloshes or flows away from the pickup port in the tank.

If lost and low on fuel, it is advisable to make a precautionary landing. Preferably, land near a road or in an area that would allow space for another helicopter to safely land and provide assistance. Having fuel delivered is a minor inconvenience when compared to having an accident. Once on the ground, pilots may seek assistance.

Helicopters, unlike airplanes, generally operate under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and require pilots to maintain aircraft control by visual cues. However, when unforecast weather leads to degraded visibility, the pilot may be at increased risk of Inadvertent flight into Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IIMC). During an IIMC encounter, the pilot may be unprepared for the loss of visual reference, resulting in a reduced ability to continue safe flight. IIMC is a life-threatening emergency for any pilot. To capture these IIMC events, the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Common Taxonomy Team (CICTT) categorizes this occurrence as Unintended flight in Instrument Meteorological Conditions (UIMC). This term is also recognized by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It is used to classify occurrences (accidents and incidents) at a high level to improve the capacity to focus on common safety issues and complete analysis of the data in support of safety initiatives.