Final answer:
In flight, when the last generator fails, an airplane loses all engine-generated power and can become a glider, as in the Gimli Glider incident where a fuel miscalculation led to a successful emergency landing by experienced pilots at a former airstrip.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the last generator fails in flight, an airplane becomes depending on its design, a powerless glider. A significant incident involving such a scenario is the case of the Gimli Glider, a Boeing 767 that ran out of fuel mid-flight due to confusion over fuel weight calculations. This aircraft was on its way from Montreal to Ottawa and eventually to Edmonton, Canada.
The final engine cutoff led to a loss of all onboard electricity that was generated by the engines. The aircraft was captained by Robert Pearson, who had experience as a glider pilot, and First Officer Maurice Quintal. They decided they would not reach Winnipeg and instead aimed for an emergency landing at Gimli Station, a former Royal Air Force base. Despite lacking power, the emergency landing was successful, albeit with damage to the landing gear, and all passengers were safely evacuated.