Distress and Urgency Communications (Mayday, Pan Pan)

Definition

Distress and urgency communications are standardized radiotelephony procedures used in aviation to indicate that an aircraft is in serious danger (distress) or facing a safety-related issue (urgency). These calls alert air traffic services and other aircraft to respond appropriately.

Types of Emergency Calls

Type	Call Word	Meaning
Distress	MAYDAY	Grave and imminent danger; immediate assistance required
Urgency	PAN PAN	Urgent situation, but no immediate danger to aircraft or persons

1. MAYDAY – Distress Call

Used when the aircraft or its occupants are threatened by serious and imminent danger, such as:

Engine failure
Mid-air collision or loss of control
Fire on board
Ditching or forced landing
Medical emergency with immediate impact on flight safety

Phraseology (initial call):

 MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY [Callsign] [Position] [Nature of emergency] [Intention] [Additional information]

Example:

 MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY D-EABC Over Gmunden lake, 3000 feet Engine failure Gliding to emergency landing near shoreline Two persons on board

2. PAN PAN – Urgency Call

Used when an aircraft has a safety concern requiring assistance, but no immediate danger exists. Examples:

Minor technical malfunction
Navigation failure
Degraded but safe flight condition
Illness on board without safety impact
Fuel concerns not yet critical

 PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN [Callsign] [Position] [Issue and request]

 PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN PAN OE-XYZ Over Korneuburg at 2500 feet Loss of VOR navigation Request vectors to VFR route to LOAV

ATC Response to Emergencies

Upon receiving a distress or urgency call, ATC will:

Acknowledge the emergency
Provide priority handling and all possible assistance
Inform relevant emergency and rescue services if required
Clear surrounding airspace if necessary

Phraseology from ATC:

 “Roger Mayday, D-EABC. Radar contact. Cleared to land any runway.” “PAN PAN acknowledged, OE-XYZ. Continue VFR, standby for vectors.”

Cancelling an Emergency

If the situation improves, the pilot must cancel the emergency:

 “D-EABC, cancel Mayday. Engine restarted. Continuing to LOLO.” “OE-XYZ, cancel Pan Pan. Situation resolved.”

ATC will respond accordingly and return to standard operations.

Misuse and Consequences

❌ Never use MAYDAY or PAN PAN unless appropriate
❌ False or careless use can lead to investigation and penalties
✅ Practice in simulators (e.g., LearnATC) to stay proficient in phrasing and delivery

Other Relevant Codes

Squawk 7700 → General emergency (automatically flags radar return)
Squawk 7600 → Radio failure
Squawk 7500 → Hijacking (not to be spoken over radio)
Mayday Relay → Used to relay another aircraft's emergency when they cannot transmit