Crosswind Bounce and Drift at Peter O Knight

A gusty afternoon landing in the DA40 — directional control, energy management, and the decision to go around

Diamond DA40 · Peter O Knight Airport (KTPF) · Commercial · Landing / Takeoff

The scenario

• {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KTPF · Peter O Knight'}
• {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
• {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '8 ft'}
• {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'DA40'}
• {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Approach'}

The decision

Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about crosswind landings in the DA40 and when to go around? (Pick all that apply.)

What the record shows

What the NTSB files show

Key lesson — In gusty crosswind conditions at KTPF, the DA40 demands early crosswind correction, a stabilized approach, and maintained directional control through rollout. The demonstrated crosswind capability is 12 knots — gusts beyond that are outside the envelope. If the approach is unstable or directional control is lost below 200 ft AGL, go around immediately. A runway excursion at KTPF could mean impact with dense development off the approach end or a ditching off the departure end. The decision to go around must come early — before the airplane drifts beyond recovery.

Debrief — teaching points

The DA40's demonstrated crosswind capability is 12 knots — gusts beyond that are outside the envelope.

The DA40 POH specifies a demonstrated crosswind capability of 12 knots. This is the maximum crosswind component the airplane has been tested and certified for. Gusts that exceed this capability (e.g., 12 kt steady + 6 kt gust = 18 kt peak) are outside the tested envelope. At KTPF, with wind 280° at 12 gusts 18 kt on Runway 22, the peak crosswind is at the edge of or beyond capability. Recognize this limit and be prepared to go around or divert if conditions exceed it.

Crosswind correction must be applied early and maintained through touchdown.

The correct crosswind landing technique in the DA40 is to establish a crab angle into the wind early (4 miles out or earlier) and maintain it through the descent. At 20 ft AGL, begin to straighten the fuselage with rudder while keeping the upwind wing slightly low (crosswind landing attitude). Waiting until short final to apply crosswind correction is too late — the correction becomes reactive, not proactive, and the approach becomes unstable. Early correction, maintained through descent, is the key.

The DA40 is slippery and floats in ground effect — energy management is critical.

The DA40's composite airframe and efficient design make it a slippery airplane. In ground effect, it floats — it does not want to land. Approach speed is 70 KIAS (Vref). Maintain this speed through the descent. Do not allow the airplane to slow below Vref on approach, or it will float even more. Do not allow it to accelerate above Vref, or the landing distance will increase. Precise energy management is the key to a stable approach and a smooth touchdown.

If the approach is unstable below 200 ft AGL, go around immediately — do not attempt recovery on the runway.

An unstable approach is one in which the airplane is not on the centerline, not on speed, not on descent rate, or not in the correct landing attitude. If any of these conditions exist below 200 ft AGL, the correct decision is to go around. Do not attempt to correct the approach by aggressive maneuvering on short final — that is how runway excursions happen. Go around, climb to 1,000 ft, and set up for another approach. A go-around is not a failure; it is airmanship.

Maintain directional control through the entire rollout — do not relax the crosswind correction until the airplane is slow.

After touchdown, the airplane is still moving at 60+ KIAS. The wind is still pushing it. Maintain the crosswind correction (upwind wing low, opposite rudder) through the rollout. As the airplane decelerates below 30 KIAS, the wind effect diminishes and the correction can be relaxed. But until then, active directional control is required. A gust during rollout can push the airplane off the centerline if the correction is not maintained.

At KTPF, the off-field environment is consequential: dense development off the approach end, open water off the departure end.

KTPF is a short field (3,583 ft) in a tight urban environment. Off Runway 22's approach end (heading 037°) is dense development — a runway excursion there could mean impact with a structure. Off Runway 22's departure end (heading 217°) is open water — Tampa Bay. An engine-out or loss of control off that end is a ditching. The field's dominant accident pattern includes LOSS_OF_CONTROL_GROUND (11.1%) and DITCHING (11.1%). Crosswind landings at KTPF demand precision and early decision-making.

Built from the real accident record

Scenario built from NTSB ERA21LA039 (2020 DA40 loss of directional control / runway excursion during landing bounce), GAA19CA582 (2019 DA40 aborted go-around / runway excursion), GAA19CA038 (2018 DA40 excessive landing speed / runway excursion), and regional crosswind-loss-of-control precedents GAA17CA105, CHI02TA149, GAA17CA021, ERA11CA212. Localized to KTPF.

NTSB reports: ERA21LA039 · GAA19CA582 · GAA19CA038 · GAA17CA105 · CHI02TA149 · GAA17CA021 · ERA11CA212

ACS tasks: PA.VII.A — Preflight Inspection · PA.VII.B — Cockpit Management · PA.VIII.A — Takeoff and Climb · PA.VIII.B — Approach and Landing · PA.VIII.C — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors

Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.103

All sample scenarios · More Diamond DA40 scenarios · More scenarios at KTPF