Gusts on Final to Runway 18
Crosswind conditions deteriorate during approach. Directional control is marginal. Commit or abort?
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 approach to land after a local flight.
It is late afternoon: OAT 26°C, altimeter 29.94, visibility 10 SM. The wind is reported by ATIS as 160° at 12 knots, gusting to 18 knots. Runway 18 is aligned 171° true. The crosswind component is approximately 8–10 knots steady, with gusts adding 4–6 knots of variability. The DA20's demonstrated crosswind capability is 12 knots. You are within limits, but the gusts are pushing the margin.
You are on a 3° glide slope to Runway 18, 2 nm out, 1,200 ft MSL. Tower has cleared you to land. The approach is stable: 75 KIAS on downwind, 65 KIAS on base, descending to 55 KIAS (Vref) on short final. The wind is variable — you feel the gusts, but the airplane is tracking the runway centerline.
Aircraft: Diamond DA20-C1, solo, full fuel (27 gal usable), within limits. Fixed gear, fixed-pitch prop, fuel-injected Continental IO-240, steam panel. The DA20 is a light, slippery airplane — it floats in ground effect and is sensitive to wind. The castering nosewheel requires differential braking for directional control on rollout; it is not steerable in flight.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 180 hours total. You have 12 hours in the DA20. You have landed in crosswinds before, but never in gusts this strong. Your personal minimums are 10 knots crosswind; the demonstrated limit is 12 knots. The gusts are at the edge of your comfort zone.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KPIE · St. Petersburg Clearwater'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '11 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'DA20'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Takeoff / Landing'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about crosswind landings in the DA20? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB ERA10CA196 (2010): A Diamond DA20 on a personal flight experienced a bounced landing on Runway 18 when the pilot applied full power to execute a go-around after the initial touchdown. The aircraft bounced, the pilot added power, and the airplane became unstable. The probable cause was the pilot's improper recovery technique from the bounced landing — applying power in an unstable attitude at low altitude.
NTSB GAA17CA105 (2016): A Piper PA-46 experienced loss of directional control during landing rollout in gusting crosswind conditions that exceeded the aircraft's demonstrated crosswind capability (13 knots). The pilot attempted to salvage the landing by fighting the drift, which led to a runway excursion and structural damage. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to recognize when crosswind conditions exceeded aircraft limits and commit to a go-around early.
NTSB ERA17CA149 (2017): A North American T-6G landed hard during a go-around attempt in gusting crosswind conditions. The right wingtip contacted the runway, the aircraft pivoted right, and nosed over. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and go-around in gusting wind conditions — the go-around itself was unstable.
NTSB GAA16CA149 (2016): An American AA-1 sustained substantial damage when the pilot lost directional control during landing and nosed over after the nose gear was damaged during takeoff in crosswind conditions. The pilot exceeded the aircraft's maximum demonstrated crosswind component of 13 knots during both takeoff and landing. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to recognize and respect aircraft demonstrated crosswind limits.
NTSB CHI02TA149 (2002): A Cessna A185F veered off the runway during landing rollout when a wind gust forced the aircraft into an uncontrollable turn. The pilot attempted to recover by applying power, which led to a loss of control. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and recognize the limits of rudder authority in gusting winds.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at St. Petersburg Clearwater International (KPIE). KPIE has its own accident history dominated by loss-of-control events (21.2% of accidents), gear-up landings, and stall/spin accidents. The scenario is localized to KPIE to make the crosswind environment and runway geometry real and consequential for you as a student here.
The consistent thread across all these events: crosswind landings in gusty conditions are unforgiving. The DA20's light weight and slippery design make it sensitive to wind. The castering nosewheel requires differential braking for directional control on the rollout. A go-around from the rollout at low airspeed and low altitude is inherently unstable. The decision to go-around must be made early — before you are committed to the landing. Once you are on the rollout, the correct response to loss of directional control is differential braking or accepting a runway excursion — not power and a go-around.
Key lesson — In the DA20, crosswind landings require active control and discipline. Know your personal minimums and the aircraft's demonstrated crosswind limit (12 knots). When gusts push the peak crosswind beyond that limit, commit to a go-around early — before short final. On the rollout, use differential braking to maintain directional control. A go-around from the rollout at low airspeed and low altitude is a trap — it leads to stall/spin or loss of control. If you are losing directional control on the rollout, accept a runway excursion or a go-around from a safe altitude, but do not attempt a go-around from the ground at marginal airspeed.
Debrief — teaching points
The DA20's demonstrated crosswind capability is 12 knots — that is the maximum the manufacturer has tested.
The DA20 is a light, slippery airplane with a castering nosewheel. The manufacturer's demonstrated crosswind limit of 12 knots is the maximum the airplane has been tested to handle safely. Beyond that, directional control is not guaranteed. Gusts that add to the steady crosswind component can exceed the limit. A 10-knot steady crosswind with 6-knot gusts creates a 16-knot peak — beyond the demonstrated limit. Know your personal minimums (often lower than the demonstrated limit) and respect the aircraft's limits. When conditions are marginal, go-around or divert.
Crosswind correction must be maintained all the way to touchdown — wing down into the wind, fuselage aligned with the runway.
The correct crosswind landing technique is to maintain a crab (wing down into the wind) all the way to touchdown, keeping the fuselage aligned with the runway. Touch down on the upwind main gear first. This technique minimizes drift and keeps the airplane aligned with the runway. Do not straighten the airplane just before touchdown — that removes the correction and invites drift. Maintain the crab all the way to the ground.
Differential braking is essential for directional control on the rollout in the DA20.
The DA20's castering nosewheel is not steerable in flight — it follows the fuselage once it touches the ground. Directional control on the rollout is maintained via differential braking (applying more brake to one side to correct drift) and rudder. Rudder authority is limited at low airspeed. Differential braking is the primary tool. If the airplane drifts right, apply left brake. If it drifts left, apply right brake. Be prepared to use differential braking assertively to maintain centerline.
A go-around from the rollout at low airspeed and low altitude is inherently unstable and dangerous.
If you are on the rollout at 25–30 KIAS and you lose directional control, a go-around is a trap. Applying power from the rollout in a drifting, unaligned attitude at 50 ft AGL can lead to a stall/spin. The correct response is differential braking to regain directional control, or accepting a runway excursion (drifting off the edge of the runway in a controlled manner). A go-around must be committed early — before you are on the rollout. Once the main gears are on the ground, the correct response to loss of directional control is braking and directional control, not power.
Recognize when crosswind conditions exceed your personal minimums and commit to a go-around early.
The decision to go-around must be made early — on downwind or base, before you are committed to the landing. Once you are on short final at 500 ft AGL, the go-around is still safe. But once you are on the rollout, the go-around becomes unstable. If you recognize on downwind that the gusts are stronger than you expected, or that the crosswind component is exceeding your personal minimums, go-around early. Climb back to pattern altitude, reassess, and either plan another approach or divert to a runway with more favorable wind alignment.
Diversion is not failure — it is airmanship.
If the crosswind conditions at KPIE are marginal for your experience level or the DA20's demonstrated capability, request a diversion to a nearby airport with a runway more aligned with the wind. This reduces the crosswind component and increases your margin. Diversion is a conservative, professional decision. It is not failure; it is airmanship. Know the nearby airports and their runway orientations so you can make a quick decision if needed.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB ERA10CA196 (2010 DA20 bounced landing / go-around), GAA17CA105 (2016 PA-46 loss of directional control in crosswind), ERA17CA149 (2017 T-6G hard landing in gusts), GAA16CA149 (2016 AA-1 crosswind excursion), and CHI02TA149 (2002 A185F wind-gust loss of control). Real events occurred at other airports — NOT at KPIE.
NTSB reports: ERA10CA196 · GAA17CA105 · ERA17CA149 · GAA16CA149 · CHI02TA149
ACS tasks: PA.II.E — Crosswind Takeoff and Landing · PA.II.F — Slip to a Landing · PA.II.G — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.209
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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