Float and Overshoot
Excess approach energy in a Piper Archer at a short, water-surrounded field — the decision to go around comes late
The scenario
Departing Albert Whitted Airport (KSPG), St. Petersburg, FL — Runway 07 (3,676 ft), approaching to land after a local flight. Elevation 7 ft MSL. The runway is short and narrow by modern standards. Off the Runway 07 approach end (heading 062°), the off-field environment is open water — Tampa Bay. Off the Runway 25 departure end (heading 242°), it is dense development. This is a water-surrounded field with limited go-around options.
It is 1530 local, a warm Florida afternoon: OAT 31°C, altimeter 29.92, density altitude approximately 2,200 ft. The Piper Archer is heavier and faster than a Cessna 172 — it carries more energy into the approach and floats farther down the runway if the approach is not stabilized. Light crosswind from the right (wind 090° at 6 knots). Visibility 10 SM, scattered clouds at 3,500 ft.
You are on a 3° glide slope to Runway 07, 2 nm out, descending through 800 ft AGL. You are configured: flaps 20°, airspeed 85 KIAS — slightly fast for the Archer's approach speed of 66 KIAS. You have not yet extended full flaps. The runway is in sight. The tower is open (part-time, 0700–2100 local) and is aware of your position.
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-181 Archer, solo, 2,400 lbs (within limits). Carbureted Lycoming O-360, 180 hp, fixed-pitch prop, fixed gear, LEFT/RIGHT fuel selector (no BOTH position). Fuel: 40 gallons usable, current quantity 28 gallons (about 3.5 hours endurance). Nothing was written up; the airplane is airworthy.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 180 hours total. You have 12 hours in the Archer. This is your second landing at KSPG; the first was uneventful. You are familiar with the short runway and the water. You are not rushed, but you are not being particularly cautious either.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KSPG · Albert Whitted'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '7/25 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '7 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'PA-28-181'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Takeoff'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about landing the Piper Archer at a short runway? (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 18 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 the bounced landing and failure to maintain directional control. The excessive approach airspeed (a result of delayed flap extension) set up the bounce.
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. The improper recovery from the bounced landing was a contributing factor. The pilot landed fast and hard, bounced, and lost directional control on recovery.
NTSB ERA10CA473 (2010): A Piper PA-28-181 on approach to a destination airport encountered windshear and stalled during landing, resulting in a hard landing and runway excursion. The probable cause was inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions. The pilot did not maintain a stabilized approach and did not compensate for the crosswind.
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 probable cause was the pilot's delayed decision-making and failure to execute a go-around, combined with excessive approach airspeed and high density altitude. The pilot pushed on with an unstabilized approach, landed long, and overran the runway.
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 loss of directional control while landing on a wet runway, resulting in a runway excursion and collision with a tree. The pilot landed fast, lost control, and struck an obstacle.
The common thread across all these accidents: the Piper Archer is heavier and faster than a Cessna 172. It carries more energy into the approach and floats farther down the runway if the approach is not stabilized. A fast, unstabilized approach in the Archer frequently results in a bounce, a hard landing, loss of directional control, and a runway excursion. The fix is simple: stabilize the approach at Vref (66 KIAS) with full flaps (40°) by 500 ft AGL. If the approach is not stabilized by 500 ft, go around.
At KSPG, the runway is short (3,676 ft) and water-surrounded. Off the Runway 07 approach end, the off-field environment is open water — Tampa Bay. A runway excursion off that end is a ditching, not a field landing. The margin for error is zero. The decision to go around must be made early — by 500 ft AGL — not late at 100 ft AGL. The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports — NOT at Albert Whitted Airport. KSPG has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns: LOSS_OF_CONTROL_INFLIGHT 20%, FORCED_LANDING 16.4%, LOSS_OF_CONTROL_GROUND 14.5%, DITCHING 12.7%, STALL_SPIN 12.7%), but these specific NTSB events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KSPG to make the short runway and the water-surrounded environment real and consequential for you as a student here.
Key lesson — The Piper Archer is heavier and faster than a Cessna 172 — it carries more energy into the approach and floats farther down the runway if the approach is not stabilized. At KSPG, Runway 07 is 3,676 ft and is surrounded by water. A stabilized approach at Vref (66 KIAS) with full flaps (40°) by 500 ft AGL is non-negotiable. If the approach is not stabilized by 500 ft, go around. A late go-around at 100 ft AGL is marginal and dangerous. A bounced landing in the Archer frequently results in a runway excursion and loss of directional control. The decision to go around must be made early, not late.
Debrief — teaching points
The Archer is heavier and faster than a Cessna 172 — it carries more energy into the approach.
The Piper PA-28-181 Archer weighs 2,550 lbs gross and cruises at 125 KIAS (Vno). The Cessna 172 weighs 2,450 lbs and cruises at 122 KIAS. The difference is small, but the Archer's approach speed (Vref 66 KIAS) is the same as the 172's. This means the Archer is carrying more absolute energy (kinetic energy = 0.5 × mass × velocity²) into the approach. If the approach is not stabilized, the Archer floats farther down the runway. At a short runway like KSPG's 3,676 ft, this margin matters. A stabilized approach at Vref is non-negotiable in the Archer.
Stabilize the approach by 500 ft AGL — flaps 40°, airspeed 66 KIAS, on a 3° glide slope.
A stabilized approach in the Archer means: flaps extended to 40° (the maximum flap extension speed is 102 KIAS, so you can extend full flaps at approach speeds), airspeed at Vref (66 KIAS), descent rate 400–500 fpm, and on a 3° glide slope. This configuration is achieved by 500 ft AGL on a normal approach. If you are not stabilized by 500 ft — if you are still fast, or flaps are not fully extended, or the descent is unstable — you must go around. A stabilized approach is the standard for a safe landing.
If the approach is not stabilized by 500 ft AGL, go around — do not push on.
The NTSB data is clear: pilots who go around when the approach is unstable have significantly better safety records than those who push on and try to salvage a bad approach. A go-around is not a failure — it is airmanship. At KSPG, with a short runway (3,676 ft) and water off the approach end, the margin for error is zero. The decision to go around must be made early — by 500 ft AGL — not late at 100 ft AGL. A late go-around at 100 ft AGL with flaps 40° extended is marginal and dangerous.
A bounced landing in the Archer frequently results in a runway excursion and loss of directional control.
The NTSB accidents LAX08CA199 and LAX04CA289 both involved bounced landings in the Archer. In both cases, the pilot landed fast (80+ KIAS instead of 66 KIAS), the airplane bounced on touchdown, and the pilot lost directional control during recovery. The bounce is a symptom of a fast, unstabilized approach. The fix is to stabilize the approach at Vref before committing to land. If you do bounce, a go-around is the correct response — do not try to salvage the landing by reducing power and landing again.
At KSPG Runway 07, the off-field environment is open water — a runway excursion is a ditching.
The off-field environment off Runway 07's approach end (heading 062°) is open water — Tampa Bay. There is no alternate landing surface. A runway excursion off that end is a ditching, not a field landing. The runway is 3,676 ft — not short by absolute standards, but short enough that a fast, unstabilized approach can result in an excursion. The margin for error is zero. A stabilized approach at Vref is the only acceptable approach to Runway 07 at KSPG.
Crosswind compensation is active — use rudder and aileron to maintain alignment with the runway.
A 6-knot crosswind from the right on Runway 07 is well within the Archer's limits (the Archer can handle crosswinds up to about 12 knots with proper technique). However, crosswind landings require active rudder control to maintain alignment with the runway. Use a crabbed approach (nose pointed into the wind) or a slipped approach (wing down into the wind, nose aligned with the runway) to maintain alignment. The NTSB ERA10CA473 accident involved inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions — the pilot did not maintain alignment with the runway and lost directional control.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB ERA10CA473 (2010 PA-28-181 crosswind landing / hard landing / runway excursion), LAX08CA199 (2008 PA-28-181 excessive approach airspeed / bounced landing / runway excursion), CHI05CA208 (2005 PA-28-181 delayed go-around / runway overrun / obstacle strike), LAX04CA289 (2004 PA-28-181 misjudged flare / hard landing / loss of directional control), ERA10FA020 (2009 PA-28-181 wet runway / loss of directional control / tree strike — fatal), and CEN23LA345 (2023 PA-28 fuel exhaustion / forced landing / runway overrun). Localized to KSPG.
NTSB reports: ERA10CA473 · LAX08CA199 · CHI05CA208 · LAX04CA289 · ERA10FA020 · CEN23LA345
ACS tasks: PA.II.D — Approach and Landing · PA.II.E — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.II.A — Preflight Inspection
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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