Bounced Landing in Gusty Wind
A go-around attempt at low altitude in crosswind gusts — airspeed, flap management, and stall recognition under pressure
The scenario
Departing Brooksville–Tampa Bay Regional Airport (KBKV), Brooksville, FL — Runway 09, on approach after a 1.5-hour local flight. Elevation 76 ft MSL. You are a Private pilot with 180 hours total time, current and proficient. Your instructor is not on board; this is a solo flight.
The weather is VFR but gusty: wind 090° at 12 knots, gusting to 18 knots. Runway 09 is aligned with the wind — a direct headwind on approach. However, the gusts are strong enough that the wind is not steady; you are seeing 8–10 knot variations in the last 500 feet of descent. Visibility is 10 SM, scattered clouds at 3,500 ft, temperature 24°C, dew point 18°C. KBKV tower is open (0700–2200 local) and active.
You are on a 3° glide slope to Runway 09, 500 feet AGL, configured for landing: full flaps (40°), landing gear fixed (always down on the Archer), power reduced, airspeed 66 KIAS (Vref — approach speed). The runway is in sight. The approach feels stable until about 200 feet AGL, when a gust pushes the nose up and the airspeed decays to 62 KIAS. You correct with forward pressure and add a touch of power. At 50 feet AGL, another gust lifts the wing and you correct with aileron. At 20 feet, you begin the flare.
The flare is where things go wrong. A downdraft hits just as you are raising the nose for touchdown. The airplane balloons — it climbs back to 40 feet AGL, now at 58 KIAS, with full flaps still extended. You are no longer descending; you are in a shallow climb at an airspeed below Vs0 (stall speed, landing configuration, 45 KIAS). The runway is still ahead, but you are not going to land here. You need to go around.
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-181 Archer, solo, within weight and balance limits. Carbureted Lycoming O-360-A, 180 hp, fixed-pitch prop, fixed landing gear, LEFT/RIGHT fuel selector (no BOTH position). Full fuel. Vref 66 KIAS, Vy 76 KIAS, best glide 76 KIAS, Vs0 45 KIAS (landing configuration), Vfe 102 KIAS (full flaps). Stall warning horn is functional.
Runway 09 climb-out environment: open developed areas (parks, large lots), pasture/hay, medium development. Not water; not mountains. Open fields and scattered buildings. A forced landing off Runway 09 is possible, not a ditching.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KBKV · Brooksville–Tampa Bay'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '3/21 · 9/27'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '76 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'PA-28-181'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Cruise'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about go-around technique in the Piper Archer? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB ERA21LA139 (2021): A Piper PA-28-181 on a stage check landing attempt stalled when the student pilot flared too high and failed to execute a go-around despite stall warning and instructor command. The student pilot did not add power during the go-around and did not lower the nose when the stall warning sounded. The accident resulted in substantial damage and injuries. The probable cause was the student pilot's improper landing flare and failure to add power during go-around, with a contributing factor of delayed instructor remedial action.
NTSB CEN12LA337 (2012): A Piper PA-28-181 touched down too far down the runway at high speed, porpoised, and struck trees during a shallow climb-out after an aborted landing. The accident was attributed to the pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point at the proper speed, failure to initiate a proper go-around, and the airplane's inadequate climb gradient after the aborted landing. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to attain a proper touchdown point and speed, and failure to initiate a go-around.
NTSB CHI08CA147 (2008): A Piper PA-28-181 on an instructional flight stalled during a go-around when the student pilot improperly raised flaps and lost airspeed. The accident resulted from improper flap management during the go-around and failure to maintain airspeed. The student pilot raised flaps fully immediately after applying power, causing a sudden loss of lift and a pitch change that the student did not manage correctly.
Regional precedent 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 pilot did not follow the proper flap retraction sequence and allowed airspeed to decay below safe limits.
Regional precedent NTSB ERA20CA072 (2020): A Beech C23 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 pilot did not recognize the stall warning and did not lower the nose when the stall warning sounded.
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, forced landings, runway excursions), but these specific go-around stalls happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KBKV to make the off-field environment real and the decision window consequential for you as a student here.
The consistent thread across all these events: the go-around in gusty wind is a high-risk maneuver. The pilot must apply power first, maintain a shallow pitch attitude to preserve airspeed, and retract flaps gradually. Raising the pitch too aggressively or retracting flaps too quickly will cause a stall at low altitude, where recovery is marginal or impossible. The stall warning is your early alert — if it sounds, lower the nose immediately, regardless of the desire for altitude.
Key lesson — The go-around in gusty wind is a high-risk maneuver in the Piper Archer. Power first, pitch second, flaps last. Apply full power immediately, maintain a shallow climb pitch to preserve airspeed, and retract flaps gradually only after establishing a positive climb. If the stall warning sounds, lower the nose immediately — airspeed is the priority. At 40–50 feet AGL, a stall is unrecoverable. The decision to go around must be made early, and the execution must be precise.
Debrief — teaching points
Power first, pitch second, flaps last — this is the go-around sequence.
The Piper Archer's go-around procedure is: (1) Apply full power immediately. (2) Maintain a shallow climb pitch attitude (5–10° nose-up) to preserve airspeed. (3) Retract flaps gradually (one notch at a time) only after establishing a positive climb. Do not raise the pitch aggressively to gain altitude — that will cause a stall. Do not retract flaps fully immediately — that will cause a sudden loss of lift and a pitch change you cannot manage. Power creates the climb; pitch attitude controls airspeed; flaps are retracted last. This sequence is not optional; it is the only way to safely execute a go-around at low altitude.
Airspeed is the priority during go-around — if you must choose, lower the nose.
In the Piper Archer, best rate of climb (Vy) is 76 KIAS. Stall speed in landing configuration (Vs0) is 45 KIAS. During go-around, you must maintain airspeed above Vs0 (45 KIAS) and preferably above Vy (76 KIAS). If the stall warning sounds, lower the nose immediately to increase airspeed. Do not raise the pitch to gain altitude — that will only worsen the stall. At 40–50 feet AGL, a stall is unrecoverable. Airspeed is your lifeline.
Flap retraction during go-around must be gradual — do not raise full flaps immediately.
When you retract flaps from 40° to 0°, you lose lift and drag simultaneously. The loss of lift causes a pitch change (nose dips), and the loss of drag causes acceleration. If you retract flaps fully in one motion at low altitude, the sudden pitch change can cause you to over-correct with back pressure, raising the pitch too high and inducing a stall. Instead, retract flaps one notch at a time (40° → 20° → 10° → 0°) as airspeed increases. This gradual retraction allows you to manage the pitch changes and maintain a safe climb.
The stall warning horn is your early alert — respect it.
The Piper Archer has a stall warning horn that sounds when the critical angle of attack is approached. During go-around, if the stall warning sounds, it means you are approaching a stall. Lower the nose immediately to reduce pitch attitude and increase airspeed. Do not ignore the stall warning and hope it goes away. At 40–50 feet AGL, the stall warning is your last chance to recover. If you do not respond, a full stall will develop, and recovery will be impossible.
Gusty wind makes the go-around more critical — recognize the risk early.
In gusty wind, the airspeed is not steady. A gust can mask the stall warning by temporarily increasing airspeed, or a downdraft can cause a sudden loss of altitude. During approach in gusty wind, maintain a slightly higher approach speed (70 KIAS instead of 66 KIAS Vref) to provide a margin above stall speed. If the approach becomes unstable — if you balloon, if the airspeed decays, if the wind gusts are strong — make the decision to go around early, before you are at 40 feet AGL. A go-around at 200 feet AGL is safe; a go-around at 40 feet AGL is marginal.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB ERA21LA139 (2021 PA-28-181 stall during go-around, improper flare), CEN12LA337 (2012 PA-28-181 high-speed touchdown and inadequate climb after go-around), CHI08CA147 (2008 PA-28-181 stall during go-around from improper flap management), and regional precedents ATL07CA048, ERA20CA072, CEN09CA459, GAA16CA106 (go-around stalls in gusty conditions). Localized to Brooksville–Tampa Bay Regional Airport (KBKV).
NTSB reports: ERA21LA139 · CEN12LA337 · CHI08CA147 · ATL07CA048 · ERA20CA072 · CEN09CA459 · GAA16CA106
ACS tasks: PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.II.D — Approach and Landing · PA.II.E — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.III.A — Emergency Procedures
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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