In what condition might a pilot use a stall recovery?

A stall recovery procedure is specifically designed for situations in which the aircraft has experienced a stall, characterized by a significant loss of lift due to the wings exceeding their critical angle of attack. In this scenario, pilots will notice a loss of control or significant reduction in airspeed, which triggers the need for immediate corrective action to regain control of the aircraft.

The stall recovery process typically involves reducing the angle of attack by pushing the control yoke forward, adding power if necessary, and leveling the wings to resume controlled flight. This method is focused solely on recovering from a stall, which is a critical maneuver that every pilot must be prepared to execute if faced with this situation.

The other scenarios do not involve a stall condition. For instance, cruising smoothly indicates that the aircraft is flying within its safe performance parameters without any deviation, landing gear issues pertain to mechanical malfunction rather than controlled flight maneuvers, and engine failure during takeoff does not inherently involve a stall unless mishandled. Therefore, the emphasis in stall recovery is strictly on conditions arising from an actual stall event.