What is the definition of a stall and how is it safely recovered?

• A. A temporary loss of engine power; recover by applying maximum thrust.
• B. A stall occurs when the nose pitches down uncontrollably; recover by pulling back on the stick.
• C. Loss of lift due to high angle of attack; recover by lowering the nose to reduce angle of attack and restore airspeed with coordinated control.
• D. Loss of cabin pressure; recover by donning oxygen masks.

Answer: (C)

A stall is a loss of lift caused by the wing exceeding its critical angle of attack, which makes the airflow separate from the wing surface. To recover safely, you push the nose down to reduce the angle of attack, allowing the air to reattach and lift to return, while simultaneously increasing airspeed (using power as needed). Use coordinated control to keep the aircraft stable and return smoothly to level flight.

The other descriptions describe different situations: one is a potential engine-power issue, another suggests pulling back on the stick which would worsen a stall, and the last refers to cabin pressure problems.