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What causes a spin, and how to identify the entry, incipient, and developed phases

One of the topics candidates miss most on the Commercial Pilot Airplane written test. It sits under Slow Flight, Stalls, and Spins (Task E: Spin Awareness) in the FAA standards, code CA.VII.E.K2.

Updated September 2026 · Reporting window: 2nd Quarter CY2025 (Jul 2024 to Jun 2025)

78%
of Commercial candidates miss this code
7th
most-missed of 9 codes the FAA lists
Severe
threat level

What this topic actually is

A spin is an aggravated stall with autorotation: both wings are stalled, but one more than the other, so the airplane rolls, yaws, and corkscrews down. It takes a stall plus yaw to start one, which is why uncoordinated flight near a stall is the classic setup.

The exam wants the phases in order. Entry is the stall and departure. The incipient phase is the transition, roughly the first two turns, while the motions have not yet stabilized. The developed phase is when rotation rate, airspeed, and vertical speed have settled into a steady state. Naming the phase from a description is the tested skill.

Where to study this
Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3), stalls and spins chapter.
Read Airplane Flying Handbook on Aviator IQ →

Why most candidates miss it

Candidates see rotation and jump straight to 'developed,' skipping the incipient phase. Developed specifically means the motions have stabilized, which has not happened right after departure. The trap that catches people: confusing the stages of a spin. Try it yourself.

Sample trap question

An airplane has just departed controlled flight and is rotating, but airspeed, rotation rate, and vertical speed have not yet stabilized. Which spin phase is this?

How to master it

Anchor each phase to one word: entry is the stall, incipient is not-yet-stable, developed is stable. If the description says the rates are still changing, it is incipient.

Then lock it in with repetition. The Commercial written test practice on Aviator IQ is built from the same FAA handbooks and figures, and every answer cites its source.

The one thing to remember

Rotation alone is not a developed spin. Developed means the motions have stabilized.

More questions people miss on the Commercial

This code is one of several the Commercial catches people on. Here are example questions across the topics candidates miss most. Try each for an instant breakdown.

1. Constant-speed propellers

When reducing power in an airplane with a constant-speed propeller, the correct sequence is:

2. Commercial privileges

A commercial pilot who does not hold an instrument rating is limited to carrying passengers for hire:

3. Ground effect

Lifting off inside ground effect before reaching the recommended climb speed most often results in:

4. Supplemental oxygen

Above which cabin pressure altitude must the required minimum flight crew use supplemental oxygen at all times?

5. Center of gravity and stability

An airplane loaded with its center of gravity aft of the aft limit will be:

6. Adverse yaw

Adverse yaw during a roll is caused primarily by:

7. Weight and performance

Increasing an airplane's gross weight will:

8. Careless or reckless operation

Operating an aircraft carelessly or recklessly so as to endanger the life or property of another is prohibited by:

9. Turbocharging

A turbocharger allows a piston engine to:

10. Night vision

To see a dim object at night most effectively, you should:

Sources & data notes
  • Pass rates, volumes, and average scores are the FAA's published figures. Difficulty rankings and threat levels are Aviator IQ's analysis of that public data, not official FAA ratings.
  • Aviator IQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or associated with the Federal Aviation Administration.

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