What is a common cause of engine failure in flight?

Fuel starvation or contamination is a common cause of engine failure in flight because the engine relies on a consistent and clean supply of fuel to operate efficiently. When aircraft engines do not receive adequate fuel, either due to depletion of fuel supply, blockage, or contamination (such as water or dirt in the fuel system), it can lead to engine shutdown. The engine may undergo a process called ‘flameout’ where it stops combusting fuel effectively. This issue is particularly critical at altitude where engines operate under high demands and any interruption in fuel flow can result in immediate loss of thrust, leading to a potential emergency situation.

In contrast, mechanical failure in the landing gear, excessive weight during takeoff, and improperly balanced control surfaces, while serious safety concerns, do not typically lead to engine failure directly during flight. Landing gear failures primarily affect takeoff and landing phases, weight issues can affect aircraft performance but do not directly cause engine shutdown, and unbalanced control surfaces impact handling but are not a typical cause of engine failure. Therefore, fuel issues are more directly linked to engine performance and reliability in-flight.