Bounce and Climb
A bounced landing, a go-around at low altitude, and the critical decision to maintain airspeed — the C172S stall/spin accident waiting to happen
The scenario
Departing Albert Whitted Airport (KSPG), St. Petersburg, FL — Runway 07, a 3,676 ft asphalt strip at 7 ft MSL. You are on a local instructional flight with a student pilot in the right seat. The student is performing landing practice: full-stop landings, go-arounds, and touch-and-goes. This is the student's third landing of the session.
Conditions: VFR, scattered clouds at 3,500 ft, light winds from 080° at 4 kt, visibility 10 SM, OAT 22°C, altimeter 29.98. A textbook Florida afternoon — calm, clear, and forgiving. The student has been flying well: smooth approaches, stable descents, good energy management.
The student is on short final for Runway 07, descending through 200 ft AGL at 65 KIAS (Vref — approach speed). The runway is made. The approach is stable. Then, 50 ft above the runway, the student flares. The flare is smooth, but the touchdown is firm — a bounce. The main gear rebounds off the asphalt, and the airplane is airborne again at 30 ft AGL, descending at a shallow angle, with the airspeed decaying rapidly.
Aircraft: Cessna 172S, dual controls, full fuel, within limits. Lycoming IO-360-L2A fuel-injected engine, G1000 glass panel, fixed gear, fixed-pitch prop. The airplane is airworthy; nothing was written up.
Pilots: You (instructor, 2,000+ hours, current in type) and a student pilot (roughly 80 hours total, on hour 3 of this session). The student is in the left seat, flying. You are monitoring from the right seat. The bounce happened; now the decision is yours and the student's: go around, or try to salvage the landing?
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KSPG · Albert Whitted'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '7/25 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '7 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'C172S'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Takeoff'}
The decision
Before we enter the scenario — what do you know about the C172S stall/spin accident pattern in go-arounds? (Pick all that apply.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB CEN25LA128 (2025): A Cessna 172S lost control during landing flare and the pilot initiated a go-around near a tree line at low altitude. The accident resulted from the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around, leading to an aerodynamic stall and terrain impact. The pilot pulled back aggressively on the yoke during the go-around, inducing a stall at insufficient altitude for recovery.
NTSB CEN14CA322 (2014): A Cessna 172S being flown by a student pilot during landing practice stalled and impacted terrain off the left side of the runway when the student applied excessive back pressure on the control yoke during a go-around after a bounced landing. The student's use of excessive back pressure induced a stall and loss of control at low altitude.
NTSB CEN13LA348 (2013): A Cessna 172S flown by a solo student pilot stalled during a go-around after a bounced landing at Grand Forks International Airport. The accident resulted from inadequate recovery technique from the bounce, leading to an aerodynamic stall at insufficient altitude for recovery. The student did not immediately go around; the delay cost altitude and airspeed.
NTSB ERA14FA283 (2014, FATAL): A Cessna 172S on an instructional night flight experienced a partial loss of engine power during initial climb after a touch-and-go landing at Daytona Beach and impacted the ground. The accident resulted from a partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, with contributing factors including the pilots' decision to turn back to the airport, which led to the aircraft exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. The turn-back maneuver at low altitude with marginal power was the fatal decision.
NTSB WPR12FA230 (2012, FATAL): A Cessna 172S stalled during an aggressive pitch-up maneuver shortly after takeoff from St. George Municipal Airport and impacted terrain. The accident resulted from the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the maneuver, with contributing factors including alcohol impairment and an over-gross-weight aircraft. The aggressive pitch-up — pulling back on the yoke to gain altitude quickly — induced a stall at low altitude.
The consistent thread across all these accidents: excessive back pressure on the yoke during low-altitude maneuvering (go-around, climb, turn-back) induces a stall before the airplane has climbed to a safe altitude for recovery. The stall speed in a turn is higher than in level flight; a 20° bank increases stall speed by roughly 10%, a 25° bank by roughly 15%. At 30–100 ft AGL, a stall is unrecoverable.
At KSPG, the off-field environment off Runway 07 (climb-out heading 062°) is open water — Tampa Bay. A stall/spin off that runway end is a ditching. The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports — NOT at Albert Whitted Airport. But the geographic reality at KSPG makes this scenario particularly unforgiving: there is no alternate landing surface off Runway 07.
The lesson is not about the bounce — bounces are common and recoverable. The lesson is about the go-around decision and execution. A bounce at 30 ft AGL is not salvageable; go around immediately. During the go-around, maintain airspeed (Vy = 74 KIAS for the C172S) and execute shallow, coordinated turns. Do NOT pull back aggressively to gain altitude fast — that is the stall trap. Airspeed is life at low altitude.
Key lesson — A bounced landing at low altitude is not salvageable — go around immediately. During the go-around, maintain airspeed (Vy = 74 KIAS in the C172S) and execute shallow, coordinated turns. Excessive back pressure on the yoke during a go-around induces a stall before the airplane has climbed to safety. At 30–100 ft AGL, a stall is unrecoverable. Off Runway 07 at KSPG, the off-field environment is open water — a stall/spin is a ditching.
Debrief — teaching points
A bounce at 30 ft AGL is not salvageable — go around immediately.
When the main gear rebounds off the runway and the airplane is airborne again at 30 ft AGL, the decision is made: go around. Do not attempt to salvage the landing with a second touchdown. The altitude is too low, the airspeed is decaying, and the risk of a second, harder bounce is high. The correct response is immediate go-around: full power, pitch nose down slightly to maintain airspeed, and climb at Vy (74 KIAS for the C172S). A bounce is a learning event, not a failure — the go-around is the correct recovery.
During a go-around, maintain airspeed (Vy = 74 KIAS) — do NOT pull back aggressively.
The stall/spin accidents in the C172S during go-arounds are caused by excessive back pressure on the yoke. The pilot pulls back to 'gain altitude fast,' but this increases the pitch attitude and angle of attack. The airspeed decays. The stall speed rises with the pitch angle and any bank angle in a turn. At 80–100 ft AGL with airspeed decaying toward stall speed, the margin is gone. The correct technique is to maintain Vy (74 KIAS) and let the altitude build naturally. Pitch attitude follows airspeed, not the other way around.
Stall speed increases in a turn — a 20° bank increases stall speed by ~10%, a 25° bank by ~15%.
In level flight, the C172S stalls at 48 KIAS (Vs clean). In a 20° bank, stall speed rises to roughly 53 KIAS. In a 25° bank, roughly 55 KIAS. During a go-around turn at 80 ft AGL with airspeed at 70 KIAS, a 25° bank puts you only 15 KIAS above stall speed. A shallow turn (10–15° bank) keeps stall speed low and maintains a wider margin. Execute the turn shallowly and coordinate with rudder.
Stall recovery at low altitude requires immediate nose-down input — there is no time for gradual recovery.
If a stall occurs at 80–100 ft AGL, the recovery must be immediate and aggressive: lower the nose to reduce angle of attack, build airspeed, and climb. There is no time for a gentle recovery or a turn to align with the runway. The nose goes down, airspeed builds, and you climb. If the stall occurs below 50 ft AGL, recovery is unlikely — the impact is imminent. This is why maintaining airspeed during the go-around is non-negotiable.
Off Runway 07 at KSPG, the off-field environment is open water — a stall/spin is a ditching.
The climb-out heading off Runway 07 is 062°. The off-field environment in that direction is open water — Tampa Bay. There is no alternate landing surface. A stall/spin off Runway 07 at low altitude is a ditching, not a field landing. This geographic reality makes the go-around decision and execution critical. A stall at 80 ft AGL over water is fatal. Maintain airspeed, execute a safe go-around, and climb to 500+ ft AGL before re-entering the pattern.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB CEN25LA128 (2025 C172S stall during go-around flare), CEN14CA322 (2014 C172S excessive back pressure go-around stall), CEN13LA348 (2013 C172S bounced-landing go-around stall), ERA14FA283 (2014 C172S partial power loss + turn-back stall, fatal), and WPR12FA230 (2012 C172S low-altitude stall after takeoff, fatal). Localized to KSPG.
NTSB reports: CEN25LA128 · CEN14CA322 · CEN13LA348 · ERA14FA283 · WPR12FA230
ACS tasks: PA.II.D — Approach and Landing · PA.II.E — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.VIII.A — Stall / Spin Awareness
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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