If the static pressure tubes are broken inside a pressurized cabin during a high-altitude flight, the altimeter would probably indicate what?

When static pressure tubes are damaged in a pressurized cabin during high-altitude flight, the altimeter effectively loses its reference to the ambient atmospheric pressure outside the aircraft. The altimeter functions by measuring the static pressure surrounding the aircraft and correlating that to altitude based on the principle that atmospheric pressure decreases with an increase in altitude.

If the static pressure tubes are broken, the altimeter cannot accurately measure the outside air pressure. In a pressurized environment like the cabin, the static pressure is typically higher than what is experienced outside the aircraft; therefore, without a proper connection to the outside air, the altimeter will misinterpret the pressure it senses.

This situation causes the altimeter to read a lower altitude than what the aircraft is actually flying at because it attempts to correlate the higher pressure inside the cabin with a lower altitude, leading to a significant discrepancy in the indicated altitude. As a result, the altimeter would show a lower reading than the actual flight altitude, which poses a risk of unintended altitude loss during high-altitude maneuvers. Understanding this principle is crucial for flight instructors and pilots to ensure safety and accurate navigation during flight.