Bounced Landing, Gusty Wind, and the Go-Around Trap
A crosswind bounce on short final, full power applied, and the critical moment when pitch attitude exceeds the wing's ability to fly — loss of control during go-around in gusty conditions
The scenario
Departing Brooksville–Tampa Bay Regional Airport (KBKV), Brooksville, FL — Runway 09, a 7,001-foot concrete runway aligned 090° true. Field elevation 76 ft MSL. You are on your second solo cross-country flight as a newly minted Private pilot, roughly 65 hours post-checkride. The flight has been routine; you are returning to home base after a 2-hour round trip to a nearby field.
Weather: VFR, scattered clouds at 3,500 ft, visibility 8 SM. Wind is from 120° at 12 knots gusting to 18 — a crosswind from the right on Runway 09. The gusts are noticeable but within limits: the C172N's demonstrated crosswind capability is roughly 15 knots, and you have crosswind experience. The tower is open (0700–2200 local); you are in Class D airspace.
You are on a 3-mile final for Runway 09, descending through 500 ft AGL, airspeed 63 KIAS (Vref, approach speed), full flaps (30°), configured for landing. The wind is gusty — you feel the airplane being pushed right, then released. You correct with left aileron and left rudder, trying to track the runway centerline. At 200 ft AGL, a gust lifts the right wing and pushes the airplane to the right. You correct again.
At 50 ft AGL, you are slightly right of the centerline and slightly high. You add a touch of forward pressure to descend, but the airplane bounces — the mains touch, then the nose wheel, then the mains again. The bounce is gentle but unmistakable. You are now 30 ft AGL, airborne again, with full flaps still extended, and the runway ahead is getting shorter.
Aircraft: Cessna 172N, solo, full fuel, within limits. Engine running normally. Carbureted Lycoming O-320, fixed-pitch prop, steam panel, fuel selector BOTH. Nothing was written up; the airplane is airworthy.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, newly certified (roughly 65 hours post-checkride), current, with crosswind experience but limited go-around experience in gusty conditions. You have not practiced a go-around in wind gusts since your checkride. Your CFI is not on board.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KBKV · Brooksville–Tampa Bay'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '3/21 · 9/27'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '76 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'C172N'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Cruise'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about go-around technique in gusty wind? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB WPR23FA247 (2023, FATAL): A Cessna 172N piloted by a newly certified private pilot on his first post-checkride flight stalled during a go-around with full flaps extended and lost control, rolling inverted into buildings. The pilot had bounced the landing in gusty wind conditions, applied full power for a go-around, but then made aggressive back-stick inputs that exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack. The sudden retraction of flaps contributed to the loss of control. The accident was fatal.
NTSB ERA25LA164 (2025): A Cessna 172N student pilot aborted a landing due to gusting crosswind drift, applied full throttle for go-around, but was unable to maintain proper control inputs and entered a stall/spin. The aircraft impacted terrain nose-down with substantial left wing damage. The probable cause was the student pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin.
NTSB CEN09CA459 (2009): A Cessna 172P on approach in gusty winds floated past the touchdown zone, and during the subsequent go-around, the pilot stalled the aircraft at low altitude when setting climb pitch attitude. The accident resulted from failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around in challenging wind conditions. The airplane was destroyed but the pilot survived.
NTSB ATL07CA048 (2007): A Mooney M20J stalled during a go-around at 20–30 feet AGL with landing gear and flaps extended, striking the ground in an uncontrolled descent. The accident resulted from the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the go-around and inadequate adherence to the aircraft's operating procedures. The teaching point: recognize when a go-around is necessary despite obstacles, commit to proper flap/gear retraction sequence, and maintain airspeed priority over terrain avoidance.
NTSB ERA20CA072 (2020): A Beech 23 on instructional flight bounced during landing in crosswind conditions, became airborne, and entered a full stall during the go-around despite full power and flaps. The accident resulted from the pilot's failure to maintain control during landing and the flight instructor's delayed intervention. The teaching point: recognize early stall warning signs during go-around in gusty wind, maintain positive control inputs, and understand that full power alone is insufficient if pitch attitude is too high.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at Brooksville–Tampa Bay Regional Airport (KBKV). KBKV has its own accident history (hard landings and runway excursions are the dominant pattern), but these specific stall/spin events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KBKV to make the runway environment and the crosswind conditions real and consequential for you as a student here.
The consistent thread across all these events: a go-around in gusty wind is a high-risk maneuver when the pilot makes aggressive pitch inputs or fails to prioritize airspeed. The stall/spin entry happens in seconds — at 30–50 ft AGL, there is no time to recover. The fix is simple: power first, smooth pitch, airspeed priority, flaps last. Aggressive back-stick input at low altitude in a go-around is the killer.
Key lesson — A bounced landing in gusty wind is a go-around, not a second attempt. Commit to the go-around: apply full power, establish a smooth, shallow climb pitch attitude (5–10° nose-up), maintain airspeed above Vx (59 KIAS), and retract flaps gradually only after a positive climb is established. Aggressive back-stick input, abrupt flap retraction, or high pitch attitude at low airspeed will stall the wing. At 30–50 ft AGL, a stall/spin is unrecoverable. Off Runway 09 at KBKV, the off-field environment is open developed land and pasture — a forced landing is survivable, but a stall/spin is not.
Debrief — teaching points
A bounced landing in gusty wind is a go-around, not a second attempt.
When the airplane bounces on landing and becomes airborne again at low altitude, the decision is binary: either commit to a go-around or land immediately on the remaining runway. Trying to land again after a bounce in gusty wind is a recipe for a second bounce, a longer approach, and a deteriorating situation. Recognize the bounce, apply full power, and commit to the go-around. The runway is long enough; you have the altitude and the power to climb out safely.
Power first, smooth pitch, airspeed priority, flaps last — this is the go-around sequence.
Apply full power immediately. Then smoothly increase pitch attitude to establish a climb — roughly 5–10° nose-up is sufficient. Do NOT make aggressive back-stick inputs. Monitor the airspeed; it should be climbing toward Vx (59 KIAS) or higher. Once you have a positive climb and the airspeed is climbing, begin to retract flaps gradually — 20°, then 10°, then 0°. Do not retract flaps abruptly; each flap retraction causes a pitch-up, and abrupt retraction can cause a sudden pitch-up that exceeds critical angle of attack.
Aggressive back-stick input at low altitude in a go-around will stall the wing.
The C172N's critical angle of attack is fixed — it does not change with power or pitch attitude. When the wing exceeds critical angle of attack, it stalls, regardless of how much power you have applied. In a go-around at 30–50 ft AGL with full flaps extended, the wing is already operating at a high angle of attack. Aggressive back-stick input will exceed critical angle of attack and stall the wing. At that altitude, recovery is impossible. Smooth, gradual pitch inputs are essential.
Airspeed is the priority in a go-around — not pitch attitude, not terrain avoidance.
In a go-around, maintain airspeed above Vx (59 KIAS) — this is the minimum safe airspeed for a climb. If the airspeed is not climbing, lower the pitch attitude to increase airspeed. Do not try to climb out of a low-airspeed situation by pulling back harder; that will stall the wing. Airspeed first, then pitch attitude. If the stall warning horn sounds, lower the pitch attitude immediately — do not try to climb out of a stall by pulling back.
Crosswind gusts during go-around demand coordinated control inputs, not aggressive pitch changes.
In a crosswind gust during go-around, the airplane may bank or yaw. Correct with coordinated aileron and rudder inputs — not with aggressive back-stick input. If a gust drops the right wing, use left aileron and left rudder to level the wings and maintain heading. Do not pull back on the yoke to raise the wing; that increases pitch attitude and can stall the wing. Coordination and smooth inputs are essential.
Flap retraction in a go-around must be gradual and only after a positive climb is established.
Full flaps (30°) are a drag penalty in a go-around, but they also provide lift. Retract them gradually — 20°, then 10°, then 0° — and only after the airplane is climbing positively and the airspeed is increasing. Abrupt flap retraction causes a sudden pitch-up (loss of flap lift) that can exceed critical angle of attack. If you retract flaps while the airplane is still in ground effect or at very low altitude, the pitch-up can be dramatic and uncontrollable.
At KBKV Runway 09, the off-field environment is open developed land and pasture — a forced landing is survivable.
The off-field environment off Runway 09's departure end (heading 090°) is open developed land (parks, large lots) and pasture/hay. If the engine fails or the go-around is unsuccessful, a forced landing in that environment is survivable. Best glide is 65 KIAS. Doors unlatched before landing. Flaps for slowest possible touchdown speed. A forced landing in open land is far preferable to a stall/spin at 30 ft AGL.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB WPR23FA247 (2023 C172N stall/loss of control during go-around, post-checkride), ERA25LA164 (2025 C172N student stall/spin during go-around in crosswind), ATL07CA048 (2007 Mooney stall during go-around at 20–30 ft AGL), ERA20CA072 (2020 Beech 23 stall during go-around in crosswind), and CEN09CA459 (2009 C172P stall during go-around in gusty conditions). Localized to Brooksville–Tampa Bay Regional Airport (KBKV), Brooksville, FL.
NTSB reports: WPR23FA247 · ERA25LA164 · CEN25LA099 · ERA24LA048 · ATL07CA048 · ERA20CA072 · CEN09CA459 · GAA16CA106
ACS tasks: PA.II.D — Takeoff and Departure · PA.III.A — Normal Approach and Landing · PA.III.B — Forward Slip to a Landing · PA.III.C — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.103
Step through the full decision tree, make the calls, and see where each choice leads — then debrief it with your CFI.
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