Bounced Landing, Go-Around Decision
A low-altitude stall during go-around after a bounced landing — the C172S demands precise airspeed control and coordinated flight
The scenario
Departing St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (KPIE), Pinellas Park, FL — Runway 18, landing practice. Elevation 11 ft MSL. It is a clear, calm afternoon: OAT 24°C, light winds from 170°, altimeter 30.01. Visibility 10 SM. A textbook VFR day for pattern work.
You are a Private pilot with 180 hours total time, current and proficient. You are conducting solo landing practice in the Cessna 172S — a fuel-injected, glass-panel airplane with fixed gear and fixed-pitch prop. You have completed three full-stop landings and are on your fourth approach to Runway 18.
On short final, you are at 65 KIAS (Vref), 200 ft AGL, on a stable approach. The runway is ahead, the descent is steady. Then, 50 ft above the runway, you misjudge the flare. The airplane touches down hard, bounces — the nose pitches up, the airplane is airborne again at roughly 100 ft AGL, and you are no longer on a stable descent. You have a decision to make immediately: land the bounce or go around.
Aircraft: Cessna 172S, solo, within weight and balance, full fuel. Fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 180 hp. Glass panel (G1000) with reversionary steam backup. Fixed gear, fixed-pitch prop. All systems normal.
Runway 18 environment: Runway 18 points 171° true. Off the departure end (heading 171°), the off-field environment is marginal — medium development, open developed areas (parks and large lots), and some dense development. Not open water, but not ideal for a forced landing. Runway 36 (opposite end, heading 351°) is open water — Tampa Bay and open developed areas. You are landing Runway 18; the water is behind you.
- {'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 after a bounced landing? (Pick all that apply.)
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 accident resulted from the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around, leading to an aerodynamic stall and terrain impact. The pilot pulled back on the yoke to arrest the descent and climb away — the exact error that induces a stall in a low-altitude go-around.
NTSB CEN14CA322 (2014): A Cessna 172S 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 accident was attributed to the student pilot's use of excessive back pressure on the flight controls during the attempted go-around. The student was attempting to climb away from a bad landing and pulled back too hard.
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 accident resulted from inadequate recovery technique from the bounce, leading to an aerodynamic stall at insufficient altitude for recovery. The student did not maintain airspeed during the go-around.
NTSB ERA14FA283 (2014, fatal): A Cessna 172S on an instructional night flight experienced a partial loss of engine power during initial climb after a touch-and-go landing at Daytona Beach and impacted the ground. Contributing to the accident was the pilots' decision to turn back to the airport, which led to the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall while maneuvering at low altitude.
The consistent thread: a bounced landing or unstable approach in the C172S triggers a cascade of errors — excessive back pressure, inadequate airspeed management, uncoordinated turns, or aggressive pitch-up maneuvers. At 100 ft AGL, there is no altitude to recover from a stall. The C172S will stall at 40 KIAS (Vs0, landing configuration) — a speed that is reached in seconds if back pressure is applied without regard to the airspeed indicator.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports — NOT at KPIE. KPIE has its own accident history dominated by loss-of-control events (21.2% of the field's corpus), loss-of-control-on-ground (15.2%), stall/spin (12.1%), and gear-up landings (9.1%). The scenario is localized to KPIE to make the runway environment and the decision window real for you as a student here.
The lesson is unambiguous: after a bounced landing, a go-around is the correct decision. Full power, maintain or re-establish Vref (65 KIAS), retract flaps gradually, climb straight ahead. Do not pull back hard. Do not try to salvage the landing. Do not turn back to the runway. The go-around is the safe option — and it is the only option at 100 ft AGL.
Key lesson — A bounced landing at 100 ft AGL is a go-around, not a salvage attempt. Apply full power, maintain 65–70 KIAS (Vref or slightly above), retract flaps gradually, and climb straight ahead. Excessive back pressure on the yoke induces a stall at low altitude — a stall from which there is no recovery. The C172S stalls at 40 KIAS in landing configuration. The margin between Vref (65 KIAS) and stall (40 KIAS) is 25 knots — a margin that disappears in seconds if back pressure is applied without airspeed awareness.
Debrief — teaching points
A bounced landing is a go-around, not a salvage attempt.
When the airplane bounces at 100 ft AGL, the landing is unstable and the descent is interrupted. Trying to land the bounce — reducing power and attempting to touch down again — invites a second, third, and harder bounce. The correct decision is immediate: full power, maintain Vref (65 KIAS), retract flaps gradually, and climb straight ahead. The go-around window is open for only a few seconds after the bounce. Delay costs altitude and options.
Excessive back pressure on the yoke during go-around induces a stall.
The instinct to 'climb away' from a bad landing is strong, but pulling back hard on the yoke pitches the nose up sharply and bleeds off airspeed. In the C172S, Vs0 (stall speed, landing configuration) is 40 KIAS. Vref (approach speed) is 65 KIAS. The margin is 25 knots — a margin that disappears in seconds if back pressure is applied without airspeed awareness. At 100 ft AGL, a stall is unrecoverable. The correct technique is to maintain or re-establish Vref by reference to the airspeed indicator, not by feel or pitch attitude.
Flaps must be retracted gradually during go-around climb.
Full flaps (30°) at full power creates a high pitch attitude and limits climb performance. Retracting flaps fully in one motion causes a sudden loss of flap lift and a pitch-up moment — exactly the wrong thing at low altitude. The correct technique is to retract flaps in increments (10° at a time), allowing the airplane to accelerate between retractions. Gradual flap retraction maintains airspeed and prevents the pitch-up that can induce a stall.
The fuel-injected IO-360 responds instantly to throttle input — no carb heat lag.
The C172S has a fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360-L2A, not a carbureted engine. There is no carburetor heat system. The fuel-injection system delivers fuel directly to the cylinders, and the engine responds immediately to throttle input. When you apply full power during a go-around, the engine delivers full power instantly — no delay, no hesitation. This is an advantage: the power is there when you need it. Use it.
Airspeed is the primary instrument during go-around at low altitude.
At 100 ft AGL during a go-around, the airspeed indicator is your primary reference for stall prevention. Maintain 65–70 KIAS (Vref or slightly above). Do not rely on pitch attitude or feel — the airplane's attitude can be deceptive at low altitude. The airspeed indicator tells you if you are approaching stall speed (40 KIAS). If the airspeed is decelerating, lower the nose to regain speed. If the airspeed is stable or increasing, you are safe.
Uncoordinated turns during go-around increase stall risk and can lead to a spin.
If you attempt to turn back to the runway during a go-around at low altitude with a high pitch attitude and decelerating airspeed, the bank increases the load factor and accelerates the stall. An uncoordinated turn (skidding or slipping) makes the stall worse and can lead to a spin. At 100 ft AGL, a spin is unrecoverable. The correct go-around is straight ahead, climbing, until you reach pattern altitude and can plan the next approach.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB CEN25LA128 (2025 C172S stall during go-around flare), CEN14CA322 (2014 C172S excessive back pressure during go-around), CEN13LA348 (2013 C172S stall during go-around after bounce), ERA14FA283 (2014 C172S stall during turn-back after partial power loss), and WPR12FA230 (2012 C172S stall during aggressive pitch-up). Real events occurred at other airports — NOT at KPIE.
NTSB reports: CEN25LA128 · CEN14CA322 · CEN13LA348 · ERA14FA283 · WPR12FA230
ACS tasks: PA.II.E — Approach and Landing · PA.II.F — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.III.A — Stall Prevention · PA.III.B — Spin Awareness · PA.I.H — Human Factors
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.119
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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