Go-Around Decision at St. Petersburg Clearwater
A destabilized approach, a bounced landing, and the critical decision to go around — airspeed and pitch control are everything
The scenario
Departing St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (KPIE), Pinellas Park, FL — Runway 18, a 9,730 ft concrete runway. Elevation 11 ft MSL. You are on a personal VFR flight, solo, full fuel, within limits.
It is a gusty Florida afternoon: OAT 26°C, dew point 20°C, altimeter 29.94. Scattered clouds at 3,500 ft, visibility 10 SM. The wind is from 160° at 12 knots, gusting to 18 knots — a crosswind from the left on Runway 18. The tower is active (0600–2300 local) and you are in Class D airspace, ceiling 1,600 ft MSL.
You have been flying the approach to Runway 18 for the past 10 minutes. The first approach was high and fast; you went around. The second approach is better, but you are still a bit high on the glide slope at 500 ft AGL. You are on short final now, 300 ft AGL, 2 nm from the runway threshold. The wind is gusty and variable. You are carrying 70 KIAS — slightly above Vref (65 KIAS) — to maintain control in the gusts.
Aircraft: Cessna 172S, fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 hp. Glass panel (G1000), fixed gear, fixed-pitch prop. Vref is 65 KIAS; Vy is 74 KIAS; best glide is 68 KIAS. Vs0 (stall, landing) is 40 KIAS. The airplane is stable and responsive.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 250 hours total. You have 15 hours in the C172S. You are proficient in the airplane but this is your first time landing at KPIE in gusty crosswind conditions. You have not flown a go-around in this airplane in several months.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KPIE · St. Petersburg Clearwater'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '11 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'C172S'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Takeoff / Landing'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about go-around technique in the C172S? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB CEN25LA128 (2025): A Cessna 172S lost control during landing flare and the pilot initiated a go-around near a tree line at low altitude. The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around resulted in an aerodynamic stall and terrain impact. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain airplane control and adequate airspeed during the go-around.
NTSB CEN23LA159 (2023): A Cessna 172S experienced a tailwind on final approach; the pilot attempted a go-around when landing appeared long. The aircraft porpoised, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft departed the runway. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the attempted go-around.
NTSB ERA21LA202 (2021): A Cessna 172S on short final in gusting crosswind conditions was high and slow. The pilot initiated a go-around but improper pitch control resulted in a tail strike and runway excursion to the left into grass. The probable cause was improper pitch control during the go-around in gusting crosswind conditions.
NTSB CEN14CA322 (2014): A Cessna 172S being flown by a student pilot stalled and impacted terrain off the left side of the runway when the student applied excessive back pressure on the control yoke during a go-around after a bounced landing. The probable cause was the student pilot's use of excessive back pressure on the flight controls during the attempted go-around.
NTSB CEN13LA348 (2013): A Cessna 172S flown by a solo student pilot stalled during a go-around after a bounced landing at Grand Forks International Airport. The probable cause was the student pilot's inadequate recovery from the bounced landing, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall during the go-around.
The consistent thread across all these accidents: the go-around is a high-risk maneuver in the C172S when executed at low altitude with marginal airspeed and improper pitch control. The stall speed in landing configuration (Vs0) is 40 KIAS; at 50–60 KIAS during a go-around at 50–100 ft AGL, there is no recovery altitude. Excessive back pressure on the yoke — the instinctive response to 'climb away from the ground' — is the killer. The correct response is to maintain or increase airspeed first, then climb.
At KPIE, the off-field environment off Runway 18's departure end (heading 171°) is medium development, open developed (parks, large lots), and dense development — not a smooth field. A stall and impact in this environment during a go-around is likely to be fatal or result in serious injury. The runway is 9,730 ft long — plenty of room to land long if the approach is unstable. The decision to land long or go around is a critical one, and it must be made early, when altitude and airspeed are adequate.
Key lesson — The go-around is a high-risk maneuver in the C172S at low altitude. The fatal mistake is excessive pitch-up (pulling back on the yoke) in an attempt to 'climb away from the ground.' This causes airspeed to decay rapidly, and at 50–100 ft AGL with Vs0 at 40 KIAS, stall recovery is impossible. The correct technique is: (1) apply full power immediately, (2) pitch to maintain or increase airspeed (level or slightly nose-up), (3) retract flaps in stages, (4) climb at Vy (74 KIAS) once airspeed is established. At KPIE, recognize an unstable approach early and decide to go around while you have altitude and airspeed — or land long on the 9,730 ft runway. Do not chase the approach into the ground.
Debrief — teaching points
Recognize an unstable approach early — before you are committed to landing.
An unstable approach is one where the airplane is high, fast, or not aligned with the runway, or where wind gusts are causing pitch and roll changes that you are chasing with control inputs. In the C172S, Vref is 65 KIAS on short final. If you are 70 KIAS or higher, or if you are high on the glide slope and chasing the wind, the approach is unstable. The decision to go around must be made at 500 ft AGL or higher — not at 50 ft AGL. At 500 ft AGL, you have altitude and airspeed to execute a clean go-around. At 50 ft AGL, you are in the danger zone.
The go-around is not a failure — it is airmanship.
Every pilot will have an unstable approach at some point. The difference between a safe pilot and an unsafe one is the decision to go around. Going around costs time and fuel, but it costs nothing compared to a stall, loss of control, or hard landing. KPIE's runway is 9,730 ft long — plenty of room to land long if you decide to land. But if the approach is unstable, go around. The tower will not penalize you; the other pilots will not judge you. The only judgment that matters is your own: is this approach safe? If the answer is no, go around.
During a go-around, pitch to maintain airspeed — do not pitch up aggressively to climb.
The instinctive response to 'I need to climb away from the ground' is to pull back on the yoke. This is the wrong response. Pulling back causes the nose to pitch up, the airspeed to decay, and the airplane to stall. The correct response is to apply full power and pitch to maintain airspeed at Vy (74 KIAS in the C172S). At 74 KIAS with full power, the airplane will climb at the best rate. If you pitch up aggressively, the airspeed will decay, the climb rate will decrease, and you will stall. Maintain airspeed first; altitude will follow.
Flap retraction during a go-around must be staged — not all at once.
In the C172S, flaps are typically at 20° or 30° on short final. During a go-around, retract flaps in stages: first to 10°, then to 0°. Full flap retraction at once causes an immediate pitch-up moment (the wing's center of lift moves aft as flaps retract). If you are not expecting this pitch-up, you may pull back on the yoke to compensate, which will cause the airspeed to decay and the airplane to stall. Retract flaps in stages, anticipate the pitch-up moment, and adjust pitch to maintain airspeed.
In gusty crosswind conditions, a go-around is riskier — but so is a landing from an unstable approach.
Gusty crosswind conditions make both landing and go-around more difficult. The wind can cause sudden pitch and roll changes, and the pilot must manage these inputs while also managing power, pitch, and flap retraction. The decision to land or go around must be made early, when you have altitude and airspeed. If the approach is unstable at 500 ft AGL, go around — do not chase the approach into the ground. If you decide to land, do so decisively and land long on the runway. Do not try to land short or on the numbers in gusty conditions.
Vs0 (stall speed, landing) in the C172S is 40 KIAS — know this number.
Vs0 is the stall speed in landing configuration (flaps down, gear down). In the C172S, Vs0 is 40 KIAS. During a go-around at low altitude, if your airspeed decays below 50 KIAS, you are within 10 knots of stall — a very small margin. At 50–100 ft AGL, stall recovery is not possible. The margin between 65 KIAS (Vref) and 40 KIAS (Vs0) is only 25 knots. In a go-around with wind gusts and pitch control inputs, that margin can disappear quickly. Know Vs0; know your margin; and do not let airspeed decay below 60 KIAS during a go-around at low altitude.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB CEN25LA128 (2025 C172S go-around stall), CEN23LA159 (2023 C172S go-around loss of control), ERA21LA202 (2021 C172S tail strike during go-around), CEN14CA322 (2014 C172S excessive back pressure go-around stall), and CEN13LA348 (2013 C172S bounced landing stall). Localized to KPIE.
NTSB reports: CEN25LA128 · CEN23LA159 · ERA21LA202 · CEN14CA322 · CEN13LA348
ACS tasks: PA.II.E — Approach and Landing · PA.II.F — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.II.A — Preflight Preparation
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.185
Step through the full decision tree, make the calls, and see where each choice leads — then debrief it with your CFI.
Open the interactive scenario →All sample scenarios · More Cessna 172S scenarios · More scenarios at KPIE