dead stick

• deadstick, dead-stick

From stick (“wooden two-bladed propeller”), possibly confounded with stick-like aircraft-engine throttles.

dead stick (plural dead sticks)

1. An unpowered propeller.

   I had to land with a dead stick.

2. (often used attributively) Failed aircraft power.

   The 767 made a miraculous dead stick landing at an abandoned Canadian airfield.

dead stick (not comparable)

1. Without aircraft-engine power.

   He landed dead stick.

dead stick (third-person singular simple present dead sticks, present participle dead sticking, simple past and past participle dead sticked)

1. To fly, especially to land, an aircraft without power.

• stick the landing