Bounce and Go-Around in Gusty Wind

Departing Peter O Knight Airport (KTPF), Tampa, FL — Runway 22, landing approach in gusty crosswind conditions. Elevation 8 ft MSL; the runway is essentially at sea level.

It is a late afternoon in early spring: OAT 22°C, wind from the southwest at 12 gusting to 18 knots. Runway 22 is aligned 217° true. The crosswind component is roughly 10–14 knots, within the C172N's demonstrated crosswind capability (12 knots), but the gusts are pushing the envelope. Scattered clouds at 2,500 ft, visibility 10 SM. A typical Tampa Bay afternoon — warm, gusty, and demanding on approach.

You are a Private pilot with roughly 180 hours total time. You have 8 hours in the C172N. This is a solo flight in your home area. You have made three full-stop landings at KTPF today; this is your fourth approach. The first three landings were firm but acceptable. You are current and proficient, but not yet experienced in crosswind gusts.

Aircraft: Cessna 172N, solo, 1,800 lb (within limits). Fixed-pitch prop, fixed gear, fuel selector BOTH, full flaps available. You are on short final, 500 ft AGL, 65 KIAS (Vref), full flaps (30°), descending at a normal rate toward Runway 22.

On short final, a gust lifts the left wing. The aircraft bounces — the main gear leaves the runway. You are now 15 ft AGL, airborne, and the aircraft is drifting left of the runway centerline. The wind is still gusty. You have a decision to make in the next 3 seconds.

NTSB WPR23FA247 (2023, FATAL): A Cessna 172N piloted by a newly certified private pilot on his first post-checkride flight stalled during a go-around with full flaps extended and lost control, rolling inverted into buildings. The pilot exceeded the aircraft's critical angle of attack during takeoff, and flap retraction contributed to the loss of control. The probable cause was the pilot's exceedance of the critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.

NTSB ERA25LA164 (2025): A Cessna 172N student pilot aborted a landing due to gusting crosswind drift, applied full throttle for go-around, but was unable to maintain proper control inputs and entered a stall/spin. The aircraft impacted terrain nose-down with substantial left wing damage. The probable cause was the student pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during the attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and collision with terrain.

NTSB ERA20CA072 (2020): A Beech 23 on instructional flight bounced during landing in crosswind conditions, became airborne, and entered a full stall during the go-around despite full power and flaps. The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing and the flight instructor's delayed intervention contributed to the accident. The lesson: recognize when a go-around is necessary after a bounce, maintain adequate airspeed and control inputs during the go-around despite wind gusts, and understand the stall risk when power application alone cannot overcome wind-induced loss of control.

NTSB LAX07CA256 (2007): A student pilot on final approach initiated a go-around due to wind gust, but excessively retracted the flaps to 10 degrees instead of the manufacturer-recommended 20 degrees, resulting in a stall and hard landing on the runway. The probable cause was the student's failure to follow proper go-around procedures and maintain adequate airspeed. The lesson: follow manufacturer-recommended flap retraction procedures during go-around; improper flap management at low airspeed in gusty conditions can precipitate a stall even with full power applied.

NTSB GAA17CA513 (2017): A Cessna 172G on an instructional flight stalled during a go-around in gusting crosswind conditions after a wind gust lifted the aircraft during a full-stall landing demonstration. The flight instructor failed to maintain adequate airspeed and exceeded the critical angle of attack. The lesson: maintain adequate airspeed margin during go-around in gusty conditions; recognize that a wind gust lifting the aircraft can increase angle of attack and precipitate a stall, requiring immediate power application and pitch control.

The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports — NOT at Peter O Knight Airport (KTPF). However, KTPF's own accident history shows a dominant pattern of forced landings (19.4%), loss of control in flight (16.7%), and ditching (11.1%) — the off-field environment around this field (open water off three runway ends) makes loss of control during go-around particularly consequential. Off Runway 22's climb-out end (heading 217°), the environment is mostly open water. An uncontrolled descent during go-around off that end is a ditching, not a field landing.

The consistent thread across all these events: a go-around in gusty crosswind conditions is a high-workload maneuver. The pilot must apply full power, manage flaps gradually, maintain airspeed above Vs0, and control pitch and roll — all at low altitude. A bounce on short final forces the decision in seconds. The margin between a successful go-around and a stall is measured in knots of airspeed and feet of altitude. Knowing when to go around (before short final, not after a bounce) and how to execute it (power first, flaps gradual, airspeed priority) is the entire lesson.