How should you respond to an in-flight warning that triggers an urgent attention item but not an emergency?

• A. Ignore the warning and continue as planned.
• B. Follow the appropriate abnormal procedure, notify ATC if needed, and consider diverting if the situation cannot be managed safely.
• C. Immediately declare an emergency.
• D. Alert passengers to the situation and seek their approval.

Answer: (B)

When you see an in-flight warning that needs urgent attention but isn’t an actual emergency, treat it as an abnormal situation that needs prompt, methodical action. The correct approach is to follow the appropriate abnormal procedures in your QRH, which guide you step-by-step to diagnose and mitigate the issue while keeping the aircraft under control. If the condition affects your ability to continue to the destination safely, coordinate with ATC as needed to discuss routing or altitude changes and to ensure traffic separation. If you determine the situation can’t be managed safely within the current plan, divert to a suitable alternate airport. Declaring an emergency is reserved for true emergencies, and you shouldn’t ignore the warning or involve passengers in operational decisions.