Fast and Floating at St. Petersburg Clearwater
Excess approach energy, a bounced landing, and a runway that runs out — the Archer's weight and speed demand precision on short final
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 VFR flight in a Piper Archer (PA-28-181), solo, full fuel, within limits. The airplane is airworthy; nothing was written up.
It is a hot, humid Florida afternoon in late July: OAT 32°C, dew point 26°C, altimeter 29.91. Scattered clouds at 3,500 ft. Visibility 10 SM. Density altitude is approximately 2,800 ft — the Archer will perform as if it is at 2,800 ft elevation, not 11 ft. Climb performance is degraded; approach energy will be higher than normal.
You have completed a local practice area flight and are returning to KPIE for landing. The tower is active (0600–2300 local). You are in Class D airspace. The wind is 180° at 8 kt, gusting to 14 kt — a direct headwind on Runway 18, but with a crosswind component from the right. The tower clears you for a straight-in approach to Runway 18.
You are on a 3° glide slope, 5 nm out, descending through 1,200 ft AGL. You have reduced power, extended flaps to 20°, and are configured for approach. Your airspeed is 85 KIAS — 19 knots above the recommended approach speed of 66 KIAS (Vref). You are fast.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 250 hours total, with about 40 hours in the Archer. You have landed the Archer at KPIE a dozen times. You are comfortable with the airplane. You did not brief the approach or the go-around. You are heads-down on the descent, not actively monitoring your energy state.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KPIE · St. Petersburg Clearwater'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '11 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'PA-28-181'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Takeoff / Landing'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about the Archer's approach and landing characteristics? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB LAX08CA199 (2008): A Piper PA-28-181 student pilot on solo flight was vectored to Runway 22R and landed with excessive airspeed after delaying flap extension. The aircraft bounced on touchdown, veered left during recovery, departed the runway, and struck a ditch, collapsing the nose gear and damaging the firewall. The probable cause was the student pilot's inadequate recovery from a bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control.
NTSB CHI05CA208 (2005): A Piper PA-28-181 on a personal flight overran a grass runway and struck a utility pole during landing at Bird Field Airport, Missouri. The accident resulted from the pilot's delayed decision-making, excessive approach airspeed, and failure to execute a go-around. Contributing factors included high density altitude and obstacles near the runway.
NTSB LAX04CA289 (2004): A Piper PA-28-181 on a student instructional flight experienced a hard landing and runway excursion at Scottsdale Airport. The probable cause was the student pilot's misjudged flare, resulting in a stall and hard landing, and failure to maintain directional control during rollout.
NTSB ERA10FA020 (2009, FATAL): A Piper PA-28-181 on a personal local flight landed fast and hard on a wet turf runway at Oliver Springs Airport, lost directional control during rollout, and collided with trees. The probable cause was the pilot's loss of directional control while landing on a wet runway.
NTSB ERA10CA473 (2010): A Piper PA-28 on approach to a destination airport encountered windshear and stalled during landing, resulting in a hard landing and runway excursion. The accident was attributed to inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions.
The consistent thread across all these events: the Piper Archer is a heavier, faster airplane than a Warrior. Excess approach speed causes a long float and a late touchdown, eating runway. A misjudged flare or a bounced landing can result in hard impact, nose gear damage, and loss of directional control. The correct response to an unstable approach is a go-around, not a salvage attempt. High density altitude reduces climb performance on go-around, but it is still the safer option. The real events cited above occurred at other airports — NOT at KPIE. KPIE's dominant accident pattern is loss of control inflight (21.2%), loss of control ground (15.2%), and stall/spin (12.1%) — runway excursion is less common here, but the off-field environment (marginal terrain off Runway 18, ditching off Runways 04 and 36) makes any excursion consequential.
The scenario is localized to KPIE to make the runway length (9,730 ft on Runway 18) and the off-field environment (marginal development, parks, dense development off Runway 18's climb-out) real and consequential for you as a student here. An excursion at KPIE is not a grass-field overrun — it is a collision with developed terrain or a ditching in open water.
Key lesson — In the Piper Archer, excess approach speed causes a long float and a late touchdown, eating runway. Early, aggressive energy management — slowing to Vref (66 KIAS) at 5 nm out, extending flaps to 40° on downwind, and maintaining a stable descent — is the entire lesson. If the approach is not stabilized by 500 ft AGL, execute a go-around. A misjudged flare or a bounced landing can result in hard impact, nose gear damage, and loss of directional control. High density altitude reduces climb performance on go-around, but it is still the safer option. At KPIE, the runway is long (9,730 ft on Runway 18), but the off-field environment is marginal — an excursion means a collision with developed terrain, not a soft grass field.
Debrief — teaching points
The Archer is heavier and faster than a Warrior — excess approach speed causes a long float.
The Piper Archer (PA-28-181) is a 180 hp, low-wing airplane with a gross weight of 2,550 lb. It is faster and carries more energy than a Warrior. Excess approach speed (landing at 80 KIAS instead of 66 KIAS) causes the airplane to float — a long, flat descent to the runway instead of a steep, controlled descent. The float eats runway. At KPIE, Runway 18 is 9,730 ft long, so a float is survivable, but it is inefficient and leaves no margin for error. In a shorter runway environment, a float is dangerous.
Vref (66 KIAS) is the recommended approach speed — fly it on short final.
The Archer's POH specifies Vref = 66 KIAS. This is the speed to fly on short final for the slowest, shortest landing. At Vref, the Archer will touch down near the runway threshold and stop in the shortest distance. Flying 14 knots fast (80 KIAS) increases landing distance by a significant margin. The rule is simple: slow to Vref by 5 nm out, extend flaps to 40° on downwind, and maintain Vref on short final. Do not wait until short final to slow down.
A hard landing or a bounce requires a go-around, not a salvage attempt.
If you flare too early or too hard, the Archer will stall and drop onto the runway — a hard landing. The impact can collapse the nose gear, damage the firewall, and cause the airplane to bounce. If the airplane bounces, do not attempt to land again. Advance power, retract flaps, and climb away. A go-around from a bounce is the correct recovery. Attempting to land again from a bounce risks a second hard impact, nose gear collapse, and loss of directional control.
If the approach is not stabilized by 500 ft AGL, execute a go-around.
An unstable approach is one that is too fast, too high, or not on a predictable descent path. If the approach is unstable at 500 ft AGL, execute a go-around. Do not attempt to salvage an unstable approach by flaring hard, slipping, or stretching the glide. A go-around is the correct decision. High density altitude reduces climb performance on go-around, but it is still the safer option. The Archer will climb away safely at 76 KIAS (Vy) even in high density altitude.
High density altitude reduces climb performance — plan for a sluggish go-around.
At KPIE on a hot, humid day, density altitude can be 2,800 ft or higher. The Archer will perform as if it is at 2,800 ft elevation, not 11 ft. Climb performance is degraded. Approach energy is higher than normal. On go-around, the Archer will climb at 76 KIAS (Vy), but the rate of climb will be reduced. Plan for a sluggish go-around. Do not attempt aggressive maneuvering on go-around in high density altitude — focus on climbing away from the runway and re-entering the pattern.
Off Runway 18 at KPIE, the off-field environment is marginal — a runway excursion is serious.
The off-field environment off Runway 18's climb-out (heading 171°) is marginal: medium development, parks, and dense development. An engine-out off this end is not a ditching, but it requires an immediate landing in developed terrain. A runway excursion off Runway 18 means a collision with developed terrain, not a soft grass field. Off Runways 04 and 36, the off-field environment is ditching — open water. The runway is your only safe landing surface. Do not allow an excursion to happen.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB ERA10CA473 (2010 PA-28-181 windshear/stall/hard landing), LAX08CA199 (2008 PA-28-181 excessive airspeed/bounce/runway excursion), CHI05CA208 (2005 PA-28-181 overrun/obstacle strike), LAX04CA289 (2004 PA-28-181 hard landing/loss of directional control), ERA10FA020 (2009 PA-28-181 wet runway loss of control/tree strike), and CEN23LA345 (2023 PA-28-181 fuel exhaustion/overrun). Localized to KPIE.
NTSB reports: ERA10CA473 · LAX08CA199 · CHI05CA208 · LAX04CA289 · ERA10FA020 · CEN23LA345
ACS tasks: PA.II.E — Approach and Landing · PA.II.F — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing
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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