Unstable Approach, Go-Around Decision
A destabilized descent into St. Petersburg Clearwater International forces a critical go-around call — and the decision to abort it carries consequences
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 an instructional flight with your CFI in the right seat, working on crosswind landing technique. The field is Class D, towered part-time (0600–2300 local); tower is open.
It is a hot, humid Florida afternoon in late July: OAT 32°C, dew point 24°C, altimeter 29.89. Density altitude is approximately 2,100 ft — well above field elevation. Winds are reported as 180° at 12 kt, gusting to 18 kt — a direct crosswind to Runway 18 (magnetic heading 171°). Visibility 10 SM, scattered clouds at 3,500 ft. A typical summer pattern in the Tampa Bay area.
You are on a 3 nm final approach to Runway 18, descending through 800 ft AGL. The approach has been unstable from the beginning: you were high on the glide slope, you have been chasing the descent with power changes, and the crosswind has pushed you left of the runway centerline twice. You corrected, but the approach is ragged. Your CFI is quiet in the right seat — watching, not intervening.
At 400 ft AGL, 2 nm from the runway, you are still 200 ft above the glide slope. The crosswind is pushing you left again. You have not yet deployed landing flaps. The airplane is floating — the DA40's clean, slippery airframe is holding altitude. You are running out of runway to stabilize.
Aircraft: Diamond DA40, full fuel, within limits. Constant-speed prop, fuel selector on RIGHT (you switched from LEFT on downwind per checklist), G1000 glass panel. Crosswind landing technique is your training objective today.
Pilot: you — a Commercial pilot, roughly 400 hours total, 80 hours in type. You have landed the DA40 in crosswinds before, but not in high-density altitude conditions. Your CFI is evaluating your decision-making and energy management.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KPIE · St. Petersburg Clearwater'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '11 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'DA40'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Takeoff / Landing'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about go-around decisions in the DA40? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB GAA19CA582 (2019): A Diamond DA40 on an instructional flight experienced a loss of control during an aborted go-around. The pilot initiated a go-around at low altitude, then cut power and applied brakes with insufficient runway remaining to safely stop the airplane. The pilot's decision to abort the go-around without adequate runway distance resulted in a loss of control, runway excursion, and impact with a concrete barrier. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to accurately communicate his intentions to ATC and his decision to abort a go-around with insufficient runway remaining.
NTSB GAA19CA409 (2019): A Diamond DA40 on an instructional flight drifted left of the runway during landing in crosswind conditions and struck a runway edge light during a go-around. The pilot receiving instruction failed to maintain runway heading and bank control in crosswind conditions. The go-around was initiated, but the loss of control during the go-around resulted in a collision with a runway light. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain runway heading and bank control during landing in crosswind conditions.
NTSB GAA19CA431 (2019): A Diamond DA40 stalled during a go-around attempt on a short grass runway in high-density altitude conditions. The pilot delayed the go-around decision and the aircraft floated. The pilot exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack in high-temperature, high-density altitude conditions. The probable cause was the pilot's delayed decision to go around in high-temperature and high-density altitude conditions and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
The common thread across all three accidents: the DA40's slippery, composite airframe floats in high-density altitude conditions, and pilots who delay the go-around decision or attempt to abort a go-around at low altitude enter a loss-of-control or stall-spin scenario. The go-around decision, once committed, must be flown to completion — aborting it with insufficient runway or altitude is a fatal error.
At KPIE, the off-field environment off Runway 18's departure end (heading 171°) is medium development and open developed areas — not ideal for a forced landing, but better than open water. However, the real accident risk is not the off-field environment; it is the loss of control during the go-around or the stall-spin scenario from a delayed go-around decision in high-density altitude.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at KPIE. However, KPIE's own accident corpus shows LOSS_OF_CONTROL_INFLIGHT (21.2%), STALL_SPIN (12.1%), and GO_AROUND-related accidents as dominant patterns. The scenario is localized to KPIE to make the decision-making and energy management real for you as a student here.
The consistent lesson: in high-density altitude conditions, the DA40 floats. An unstable approach at 400 ft AGL is a go-around trigger, not a 'fix it on short final' situation. The go-around decision, once committed, must be flown to completion at Vy (66 KIAS) with full power and prop control. Aborting the go-around or attempting to land from an unstable approach at low altitude is a stall-spin or loss-of-control accident.
Key lesson — In high-density altitude conditions, the DA40's slippery airframe floats. An unstable approach — high on glide slope, chasing descent, drifting off centerline — is a go-around trigger at 400 ft AGL or above. Commit to the go-around, climb at Vy (66 KIAS) with full power and prop control, reposition, and execute a stabilized second approach. Aborting the go-around at low altitude or attempting to land from an unstable approach is a stall-spin or loss-of-control accident. The go-around decision, once committed, must be flown to completion.
Debrief — teaching points
High-density altitude changes the DA40's handling characteristics.
At KPIE on a hot July afternoon (OAT 32°C, DA ~2,100 ft), the DA40's performance is degraded. Climb rate is reduced, landing distance is increased, and the slippery composite airframe floats more than at sea level. The airplane will not descend or slow as quickly as you expect. Energy management on approach is critical. If you are high on the glide slope or floating at 400 ft AGL, the problem will not fix itself — it will get worse. A go-around is the correct decision.
An unstable approach at 400 ft AGL is a go-around trigger, not a 'fix it on short final' situation.
The FAA defines a stabilized approach as: established on the correct flight path, at the correct descent rate, at the correct airspeed, with the correct configuration (flaps, gear, prop), and aligned with the runway. If you are high on the glide slope, chasing descent with power changes, drifting off centerline, or not stabilized by 500 ft AGL, the approach is unstable. Do not attempt to salvage it from low altitude. Go around, reposition, and try again. The go-around is not a failure; it is airmanship.
The go-around decision, once committed, must be flown to completion.
When you advance the throttle and prop control and establish a climb at Vy (66 KIAS), you are committed to the go-around. Do not cut power and attempt to land on the remaining runway. The DA40 is slippery and will not stop as quickly as you expect, especially in high-density altitude. Aborting the go-around at low altitude results in a loss of control, runway excursion, or stall-spin. Fly the go-around to completion: climb at Vy, retract flaps if deployed, clear the runway, reposition, and try again.
Crosswind landing technique requires active bank and rudder control.
In a crosswind, the airplane will drift left or right. Correct with aileron (bank into the wind) and rudder (maintain heading). On approach, maintain alignment with the runway. During a go-around in a crosswind, establish a gentle right bank (if the wind is from the left, as it is in this scenario) and maintain Vy (66 KIAS) and a stable climb. Do not allow the airplane to drift left or right during the go-around — loss of control during go-around is a documented accident mode.
The DA40's constant-speed prop requires active RPM management during a go-around.
During a go-around, advance both the throttle (to full power) and the prop control (to full RPM). The constant-speed prop will adjust blade pitch to maintain the selected RPM. If you advance only the throttle and forget the prop control, the prop will not respond fully and you will not achieve full climb power. Full power means full throttle AND full prop control.
Fuel selector management in the DA40 is critical — there is no BOTH position.
The DA40's fuel selector has LEFT and RIGHT positions only — no BOTH. You must actively manage the fuel selector during flight. On downwind, you switched to RIGHT per checklist. During a go-around and repositioning, confirm the fuel selector is still on the selected tank. Running a tank dry during a go-around is a catastrophic failure. Fuel management is your responsibility.
KPIE's accident corpus shows LOSS_OF_CONTROL_INFLIGHT and STALL_SPIN as dominant patterns.
KPIE's own accident history shows LOSS_OF_CONTROL_INFLIGHT (21.2%), STALL_SPIN (12.1%), and LOSS_OF_CONTROL_GROUND (15.2%) as the top three accident categories. Go-around decisions and energy management are critical at this field. The scenario is localized to KPIE because these are the real risks you face here.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB GAA19CA582 (2019 DA40 go-around abort with insufficient runway), GAA19CA409 (2019 DA40 crosswind go-around loss of control), and GAA19CA431 (2019 DA40 stall during go-around in high-density altitude). Real events occurred at other airports — NOT at KPIE.
NTSB reports: GAA19CA582 · GAA19CA409 · GAA19CA431
ACS tasks: PA.V.A — Approach and Landing · PA.V.B — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.VIII.C — Emergency Descent · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.II.A — Preflight Assessment
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.175
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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