Float and Drift at St. Petersburg Clearwater
Excess approach energy in a slippery DA40, a bounced landing, and the decision to go around — with runway remaining uncertain
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 local instructional flight with a CFI in the right seat.
It is a clear, calm afternoon: winds 180° at 4 knots, visibility 10 SM, altimeter 30.02. The field is Class D, tower is active (1400 local, within 0600–2300 operating hours). A perfect day to practice approaches and landings.
You are on final approach to Runway 18, 2 nm out, 1,200 ft AGL, descending at 500 fpm. The DA40 is configured: flaps 10°, prop full forward (2,500 RPM), mixture rich, fuel selector on LEFT (the left tank is full; the right tank has 15 gallons). You are at 70 KIAS on a 3° glide slope. The runway is made.
Aircraft: Diamond DA40, dual, full fuel (left tank full, right tank 15 gal), within limits. Fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360, constant-speed prop, fixed gear, G1000 glass panel. The airplane is responsive and clean — it floats in ground effect if you carry excess energy.
Pilot: you — a Private or Commercial pilot, current, roughly 300 hours total. You have flown the DA40 for 40 hours. You know the airplane is slippery and that energy management on approach matters. Your CFI is in the right seat, observing.
- {'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 already know about the DA40's approach and landing characteristics? (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 when the pilot cut power and applied brakes with insufficient runway remaining. The pilot initiated a go-around from an unstable approach, then decided to abort the go-around and land. The decision to abort the go-around with insufficient runway remaining to safely stop the airplane resulted in a loss of control, runway excursion, and impact with a concrete barrier. The probable cause was the pilot's decision-making — the failure to recognize an unstable approach and the decision to abort a go-around without adequate runway distance.
NTSB ERA21LA039 (2020): A Diamond DA40 on a Part 91 supervised solo instructional flight lost directional control during landing when the aircraft bounced and drifted left. The student pilot's attempt to abort the landing was unsuccessful, and the aircraft struck a taxiway sign and cartwheeled before impacting a security fence. The probable cause was the pilot's loss of directional control while landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. The bounce was a sign of excess approach energy; the drift was a loss of directional control during the landing rollout.
NTSB GAA19CA038 (2018): A Diamond DA40 flown by a solo student pilot experienced a runway excursion and struck a taxiway sign after landing with excessive speed. The accident was attributed to the student pilot's excessive taxi speed during a turn from the runway to a taxiway. However, the root cause was the landing itself — the student touched down long and fast, then attempted to turn off the runway at excessive speed, which resulted in the loss of directional control and the strike.
The consistent thread across all three accidents: the DA40 is a slippery, energy-rich airplane. Excess approach energy (speed, altitude, or both) leads to a long float in ground effect. A bounce or a long touchdown is a sign that the approach was unstable. The correct response is a go-around, not a recovery attempt. If the landing is made, the rollout must be smooth and controlled — hard braking without proper rudder correction can cause directional control loss, especially if the runway is wet or contaminated.
At KPIE, Runway 18 is 9,730 ft long — plenty of length for a normal landing. But if you touch down at 4,000 ft and then lose directional control, the remaining runway (5,730 ft) may not be enough to recover. Off Runway 18, the environment is medium development, open developed areas, and dense development — taxiway signs, lights, and other obstacles are present. A runway excursion at KPIE is not a minor incident; it is a collision risk.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at KPIE. The scenario is localized to KPIE to make the runway length, the off-field environment, and the decision window real and consequential for you as a student here.
Key lesson — The DA40 is slippery and floats in ground effect if you carry excess approach energy. Vref is 70 KIAS; carrying speed above Vref increases float distance significantly. If the approach is unstable — high, fast, or both — a go-around is the correct decision. Do not try to stretch a bad approach. If a bounce occurs on landing, go around. If you lose directional control during the landing rollout, apply rudder correction immediately and smoothly — hard braking without rudder correction can worsen the drift. At KPIE Runway 18, you have 9,730 ft of runway; use it wisely and land early, not long.
Debrief — teaching points
The DA40 is slippery — energy management is critical on approach.
The DA40 is a composite, low-drag airframe. It floats in ground effect if you carry excess approach energy. Vref (approach speed, short final) is 70 KIAS. Carrying speed above Vref — even 75 KIAS — increases float distance significantly. A 5-knot overspeed on approach can result in a touchdown 1,000–2,000 ft farther down the runway. Plan to cross the runway threshold at 50 ft AGL, 65 KIAS, in a stable descent. If you are high, fast, or both, go around. Do not try to stretch a bad approach.
A bounce on landing is a sign of excess energy — the correct response is a go-around.
If the airplane balloons (climbs) during the flare, it is a sign of excess speed or a flare that is too aggressive. The correct response is to go around — advance the throttle to full power, retract flaps to 10°, and climb out. Do not attempt to recover from a bounce by pushing the nose down; this can result in a hard landing or a loss of control. A go-around is not a failure; it is airmanship.
Hard braking without rudder correction can cause directional control loss.
During the landing rollout, apply brakes smoothly and keep the nose straight with rudder. Hard braking — especially on a wet or contaminated runway — can cause the nose to drift left or right. If the nose begins to drift, apply rudder correction immediately. Do not release the brakes to regain directional control; instead, apply rudder and reduce brake pressure gradually. If you are losing directional control, it is better to roll farther down the runway under control than to accept a runway excursion.
Runway 18 at KPIE is 9,730 ft long — use it wisely.
Runway 18 is long, but if you touch down at 4,000 ft and then lose directional control, the remaining runway (5,730 ft) may not be enough to recover. Off Runway 18, the environment is medium development, open developed areas, and dense development — taxiway signs, lights, and other obstacles are present. Plan to land in the first third of the runway (within 3,000 ft of the threshold). If you are going to land long, go around instead.
The fuel selector on the DA40 is LEFT / RIGHT — no BOTH position.
The DA40 fuel selector has no BOTH position. You must manage LEFT and RIGHT tanks. Before landing, ensure the fuel selector is on the tank with the most fuel. If the selected tank runs dry, the engine will quit. This is not a factor in this scenario, but it is a critical system difference from other airplanes. Know which tank you are on at all times.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB GAA19CA582 (2019 DA40 go-around abort with insufficient runway), ERA21LA039 (2020 DA40 loss of directional control / bounce on landing), and GAA19CA038 (2018 DA40 excessive speed during landing rollout). Anonymized and localized to KPIE.
NTSB reports: GAA19CA582 · ERA21LA039 · GAA19CA038
ACS tasks: PA.II.J — Approach and Landing · PA.II.K — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.II.I — Slow Flight, Stalls, and Spins
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.121
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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