"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...
If there's something mechanically wrong with the engine, might adding
power for a climb make things worse?
Yes, I agree, depending on the airplane. I would not add power if a
particular airplane's engine-failure checklist left the controls at less
than a full-power configuration; in that case, I would simply climb at the
maximum possible rate given the engine's performance.
In my airplane in particular, the first response to an engine failure is
"everything forward" -- partly because the throttle controls a variable
speed fuel pump which can fail at low speed only and partly because the
mixture controls an altitude-dependent fuel controller that has failures
modes with anything other than full rich. These correctable engine failure
modes justify "everything forward" for my airplane since the benefits of
correcting a partial engine failure usually outweight the risks of
converting a partial failure to a full failure.
While climbing I would proceed to the nearest airport and circle until I
were certain that I were in position for a successful deadstick landing if
necessary, and only then would I voluntarily reduce power.
--
Richard Kaplan, CFII
www.flyimc.com