Which set of flight conditions contributes to left turning tendency?

• A. Low Power; Low Angle of Attack; High Airspeed
• B. High Power; High Angle of Attack; Low Airspeed
• C. Wing Loading
• D. Tailwind and Gusts

Answer: (B)

Left turning tendency comes from the combination of engine torque and the asymmetric thrust created by the propeller, especially when power is high and the airplane is operating at a high angle of attack with slow airspeed. When power is increased, the engine’s torque effect is stronger, producing a yaw moment that tends to push the nose to the left. At a high angle of attack, the descending blade of the propeller slice through the air with a higher effective angle, enhancing P-factor and creating more thrust on one side than the other, which also promotes a left yaw. If the aircraft is moving slowly, rudder authority is reduced and the aircraft is more sensitive to these yawing moments, making the left-turning tendency more pronounced. So the combination of high power, high angle of attack, and low airspeed creates the strongest left turning tendency. External disturbances like tailwinds or gusts can cause yaw as well, but they’re not the inherent flight-condition factor described here, and wing loading relates to stall characteristics rather than yaw tendencies from power and AoA.