During take-off with a strong left crosswind, which engine failure causes the greatest control issue?

In the scenario of a strong left crosswind during take-off, the left outboard engine failure presents the greatest control challenge. This is primarily due to the asymmetrical thrust produced by the remaining engines.

When the left outboard engine fails, the aircraft is left with only the right side engines producing thrust. This creates a significant yawing moment towards the left because the aircraft's center of mass is now not aligned with the thrust vector. Since the remaining engines on the right are working to push the aircraft forward, they also exacerbate the left yawing tendency, making it even more difficult to maintain directional control, especially since the crosswind is coming from the left.

During take-off, the aircraft is already susceptible to yawing motions, and the additional leftward force from the crosswind compounds the challenge. Pilots must counter this by applying a significant amount of right rudder and possibly aileron inputs to maintain the desired flight path. Failing to effectively counteract these forces could lead to loss of control and potential veering off the runway.

Thus, in the presence of a strong left crosswind, the failure of the left outboard engine introduces the most severe control difficulties due to the unbalanced thrust and the need for increased corrective inputs