Bounce and Go-Around in Gusty Crosswind
A porpoise on final, a go-around in wind gusts, and the SR22's energy state — loss of control at 200 feet AGL
The scenario
Departing Albert Whitted Airport (KSPG), St. Petersburg, FL — Runway 25, landing in gusty crosswind conditions. Elevation 7 ft MSL; the runway is essentially at sea level. You are on a local instructional flight with your CFI.
It is a late-afternoon Florida day: OAT 26°C, wind 180° at 12 knots, gusting to 18 knots. Runway 25 is oriented 242° true; the wind is a crosswind from the left (south), with gusts pushing the airplane around. Visibility is excellent. You are VFR, Class D airspace, tower is active.
You are on final approach to Runway 25, 500 ft AGL, descending at 90 KIAS with 50% flaps extended (Vfe limit 119 KIAS). The approach is stable until about 50 ft AGL, when a wind gust lifts the left wing and the airplane porpoises — the nose pitches up, the main gear touches, bounces, and the airplane becomes airborne again at roughly 30 ft AGL with insufficient airspeed to continue the landing. You are still in 50% flaps, still descending, and the runway is running out.
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22, solo, within weight and balance limits. Constant-speed prop, fuel-injected Continental IO-550-N, 310 hp. Glass Perspective panel. Fixed gear. Fuel selector is on RIGHT tank (you switched before descent). Nothing was written up; the airplane is airworthy.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, roughly 250 hours total, 40 hours in type. You have done go-arounds before, but not in gusty crosswind conditions at low altitude. Your CFI is in the right seat, observing. The decision to go around is now yours.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KSPG · Albert Whitted'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '7/25 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '7 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'SR22'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Takeoff'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about go-around procedures in the SR22, especially in gusty conditions? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB GAA19CA570 (2019): A Cirrus SR22 on an instructional flight stalled during a go-around when the pilot applied full power with full flaps extended and failed to adjust the flap setting. The airplane descended into an adjacent field. The probable cause was the pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the go-around. The stall occurred at low altitude with extended flaps and full power — the exact scenario this training addresses.
NTSB GAA19CA379 (2019): A Cirrus SR22 porpoised on touchdown during landing in gusting winds, prompting a go-around. The aircraft porpoised again on the second landing attempt. The probable cause was improper landing flare and failure to maintain pitch control. The pattern is clear: a bounce or porpoise in gusty conditions, followed by a go-around, followed by loss of control during the go-around.
NTSB WPR11LA169 (2011): A Cirrus SR-22 at Falcon Field encountered excessive float during landing flare. The pilot aborted the landing and retracted flaps to climb out, but the aircraft stalled at low altitude and lost control. The probable cause was the pilot's attempt to correct a landing float by adding power, followed by a premature attempt to climb out of ground effect at insufficient airspeed, with the aircraft striking the runway and colliding with a parked Cessna 172. This accident shows the specific failure mode: abrupt flap retraction, insufficient airspeed, and stall at low altitude.
NTSB CEN09LA165 (2009): A Cirrus SR22 landed on a snow-packed, ice-covered runway and struck a snow berm during a go-around attempt. The probable cause was failure to apply brakes timely and delay in executing the go-around. The lesson: recognize when a go-around is necessary early, and execute it decisively.
Regional precedents (ERA20CA072, ATL07CA048, GAA17CA103, LAX07CA256) show the same pattern across aircraft types: a bounce or unstable approach, a go-around initiated at low altitude, loss of control during the go-around due to improper flap management or failure to maintain airspeed in gusty conditions, and impact with terrain or structures. The common thread: the go-around itself is the critical phase, not the landing.
At KSPG, the off-field environment off Runway 25's climb-out (heading 242°) is dense development — buildings, structures, medium and low-density development. A stall or loss of control during a go-around from Runway 25 results in impact with that development, not an open field. This is not hypothetical; it is the USGS NLCD ground cover off that runway end. The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports — NOT at Albert Whitted Airport — but the environment and the failure mode are the same.
The consistent thread across all these events: the SR22's high energy state (310 hp, fast approaches, long floats) and the constant-speed prop demand precise management during go-around. Full power with extended flaps at low airspeed is a stall setup. Abrupt flap retraction can induce a pitch disturbance at a critical moment. Failure to maintain airspeed during the initial climb-out phase is the direct cause of stall. In gusty crosswind conditions, a wing drop during go-around can be fatal if the pilot is not actively compensating and maintaining airspeed.
Key lesson — The go-around is the critical phase in the SR22. A bounce or porpoise on landing is not a failure — it is a signal to go around. Execute the go-around correctly: apply full power, retract flaps smoothly (not abruptly), maintain airspeed at or above 88 KIAS best glide, manage pitch carefully to avoid a steep attitude, and climb to safe altitude before resetting for another approach. In gusty crosswind conditions, be prepared to go around again if the second approach becomes unstable. The SR22's power and energy state make it unforgiving of poor go-around technique at low altitude. CAPS is the backup if control is lost, but it is not a substitute for proper technique.
Debrief — teaching points
A bounce or porpoise on landing is a signal to go around — not a failure.
The SR22's high energy state and long float characteristics make bounces and porpoises common in gusty or crosswind conditions. A bounce at 30 ft AGL with insufficient airspeed to continue the landing is not recoverable by adding power and trying to land. The correct response is to go around: apply full power, retract flaps smoothly, maintain airspeed, and climb to safe altitude. The NTSB data (GAA19CA379, WPR11LA169) shows that pilots who try to salvage a bounced landing by adding power with extended flaps often stall at low altitude. Going around is the safe decision.
Full power with extended flaps at low airspeed is a stall setup.
The SR22 has 310 hp and a constant-speed prop. When full power is applied with 50% or full flaps extended at low airspeed (below 88 KIAS best glide), the airplane's nose pitches up aggressively. The combination of full power, extended flaps, steep pitch, and low airspeed creates a critical angle of attack situation. The stall warning horn will sound. The correct response is to reduce pitch attitude immediately to lower angle of attack and allow airspeed to build. Do not hold a steep pitch at low airspeed with extended flaps — this is the direct cause of stall in the NTSB go-around accidents.
Flaps should be retracted smoothly during go-around, not abruptly.
Abrupt flap retraction (yanking the flap handle to 0°) can induce a pitch disturbance at a critical moment — the sudden loss of flap lift causes a momentary nose-down pitch, followed by a sharp nose-up pitch as full power takes effect. At 30 ft AGL in a gusty crosswind, this pitch disturbance can be unrecoverable. The correct technique is to retract flaps smoothly, in stages if necessary, while managing pitch carefully. The goal is a controlled, coordinated climb-out, not a dramatic pitch change.
Airspeed is the priority during go-around — maintain at least 88 KIAS best glide.
In the SR22, best glide speed is 88 KIAS. During a go-around, maintain at least this airspeed before attempting to climb out of ground effect. A steep pitch attitude at low airspeed (below 88 KIAS) with extended flaps is a stall. The constant-speed prop will automatically adjust RPM to maintain power, but the pilot must manage pitch and airspeed. If airspeed is marginal, reduce pitch attitude to allow airspeed to build before attempting to climb.
Crosswind gusts during go-around can induce a wing drop and stall if airspeed is marginal.
A crosswind gust during go-around can drop a wing, especially if the pilot is not actively compensating with aileron and the airspeed is low. At 30 ft AGL with extended flaps and marginal airspeed, a wing drop can quickly develop into a stall. The correct response is to maintain active aileron control, keep airspeed at or above 88 KIAS, and be ready to deploy CAPS if control is lost. The regional precedents (ERA20CA072, ATL07CA048, GAA17CA103) show that wing drops during go-around in gusty conditions are often fatal.
CAPS is the POH's primary response to loss of control or unrecoverable stall — it is the backup, not a substitute for technique.
The SR22's whole-airframe parachute (CAPS) is designed for loss of control, unrecoverable spin, and engine failure without a safe landing option. If a stall develops during go-around and control cannot be recovered by normal means (reducing pitch, maintaining airspeed, managing flaps), CAPS deployment is the correct action. However, CAPS is not a substitute for proper go-around technique. The stall should never happen. At low altitude (below 500 ft AGL), CAPS descent rates are high and impact with terrain or structures is likely. Proper technique prevents the need for CAPS.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB GAA19CA570 (2019 SR22 stall during go-around, full flaps, full power), GAA19CA379 (2019 SR22 porpoise and go-around in gusts), WPR11LA169 (2011 SR22 stall during go-around after float, flap retraction error), CEN09LA165 (2009 SR22 go-around delay on contaminated runway), and regional precedents ERA20CA072, ATL07CA048, GAA17CA103, LAX07CA256 (go-around loss of control in crosswind/gust conditions). Anonymized and localized to KSPG.
NTSB reports: GAA19CA570 · GAA19CA379 · WPR11LA169 · CEN09LA165 · ERA20CA072 · ATL07CA048 · GAA17CA103 · LAX07CA256
ACS tasks: PA.II.F — Landing · PA.II.G — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.III.A — Preflight Preparation · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.185
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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