The Go-Around That Wasn't
Stall/spin risk on a low-altitude turn — weight, density altitude, and the margin between recovery and impact
The scenario
Departing Tampa Executive Airport (KVDF), Tampa, FL — Runway 05, climbing out on a 42° heading. Elevation 22 ft MSL. It is a hot, clear Florida afternoon in August: OAT 34°C, altimeter 29.89, density altitude approximately 2,100 ft. The runway is short (5,000 ft) and the air is thin.
You are conducting a local sightseeing flight with three passengers — your spouse and two friends. The airplane is loaded: you, three passengers, full fuel (48 gallons usable), and a cooler of drinks for a beach stop. You did not weigh the airplane before departure; you estimated the loading based on experience. The C172R's maximum gross weight is 2,450 lb. You believe you are close to it, maybe slightly over, but 'close enough' for a local flight.
The takeoff roll is longer than usual. The airplane lifts off near the end of the runway at a higher-than-normal airspeed. The climb is sluggish — you are seeing 300–400 ft/min rate of climb instead of the usual 600–700 ft/min. You attribute this to the heat and the full fuel load. You are at 800 ft AGL, heading 042°, climbing at 79 KIAS (Vy, best rate of climb), when you notice the landing gear on the runway is still occupied — a Piper Cherokee is on short final for Runway 05, and you are in its path.
You have seconds to decide: continue the climb and risk a midair collision, or execute an immediate go-around. You choose the go-around. You reduce power, lower the nose to maintain airspeed, and begin a left turn back toward the runway.
Aircraft: Cessna 172R, four occupants, full fuel, actual weight unknown but likely at or above maximum gross weight. Fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360-L2A, 160 hp, fixed-pitch prop, fixed gear, steam panel. Best glide 65 KIAS, Vy 79 KIAS, Vs (clean) 44 KIAS, Va (maneuvering) 99 KIAS.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 250 hours total. You have flown this airplane before, but not with a full load at high density altitude. You did not conduct a formal weight-and-balance calculation before departure. You are familiar with the go-around procedure but have never executed one at low altitude in a thermally degraded climb.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KVDF · Tampa Executive'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '5/23 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '22 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'C172R'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Takeoff'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about stall/spin risk in a low-altitude go-around? (Pick all that apply.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB WPR21FA258 (2021): A Cessna 172R on a personal flight departed overweight at high density altitude. The airplane's climb performance was degraded. The pilot attempted to climb to avoid terrain or other obstacles and stalled at low altitude. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, compounded by the aircraft's weight exceedance and high density altitude conditions that degraded climb performance.
NTSB CEN14FA453 (2014): A Cessna 172R on a personal sightseeing flight failed to climb after takeoff and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. The airplane stalled during the return turn at low altitude. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain control during the return turn, with contributing factors including inadequate preflight planning that resulted in the aircraft exceeding maximum gross weight.
NTSB WPR11FA242 (2011): A Cessna 172R stalled during a downwind turn while executing a go-around from a landing attempt. The airplane entered an unrecoverable spin. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the downwind turn, with contributing factors including inadequate preflight planning and exceedance of the approved weight and balance envelope.
The common thread: all three accidents involved a stall in a low-altitude turn — either a return to the airport or a go-around — with overweight or high density altitude as a contributing factor. In each case, the pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed or did not recognize the sluggish climb as a warning sign. At 800 ft AGL, a stall is unrecoverable.
These real accidents occurred at other airports and in other circumstances — NOT at Tampa Executive Airport (KVDF). KVDF's dominant accident pattern is LOSS_OF_CONTROL_GROUND (18.4%), HARD_LANDING (18.4%), and FORCED_LANDING (15.8%) — not stall/spin. However, the stall/spin risk is real at any airport when an overweight or high-density-altitude airplane attempts a low-altitude turn. The scenario is localized to KVDF to make the off-field environment real: off Runway 05's climb-out (42°), the environment is wooded wetland and medium development — a forced landing is possible but hazardous; off Runway 36's climb-out (360°), it is open water — a ditching.
The consistent lesson across all three NTSB cases: a proper go-around at low altitude requires (1) immediate power reduction and nose-down to maintain airspeed, (2) a shallow bank (less than 15°), (3) immediate power application once the turn is established, and (4) a priority on maintaining airspeed over turning radius. A steep turn at low altitude with marginal airspeed is the stall/spin trap.
Key lesson — At 800 ft AGL in a go-around, a steep turn is a stall/spin trap. The stall speed increases in a turn — a 30° bank increases stall speed by roughly 6%. If you are at 79 KIAS (Vy) and you enter a 30° bank, your stall speed is now roughly 47 KIAS — you have only a 32 KIAS margin. A sluggish climb on departure is a warning sign of high density altitude or overweight; it means your climb performance is degraded and your stall speed is higher than normal. In a go-around, keep the bank angle shallow (less than 15°), maintain 79 KIAS, and apply full power immediately. At KVDF, off Runway 05's climb-out, the off-field environment is wooded wetland and medium development — a forced landing is possible but hazardous. Off Runway 36, it is open water — a ditching. A proper go-around is the only safe option.
Debrief — teaching points
Stall speed increases in a turn — the bank angle matters.
The C172R's stall speed (clean) is 44 KIAS at 0° bank. In a 15° bank, stall speed increases to roughly 44.3 KIAS (1% increase). In a 20° bank, it is roughly 44.9 KIAS (2% increase). In a 30° bank, it is roughly 46.7 KIAS (6% increase). At 79 KIAS (Vy), you have a 35 KIAS margin at 0° bank, but only a 32 KIAS margin at 30° bank. In a go-around at 800 ft AGL, a steep turn is a stall/spin trap. Keep the bank angle shallow — less than 15° — and maintain airspeed.
A sluggish climb on departure is a warning sign — do not ignore it.
The C172R's normal climb performance at sea level is 600–700 ft/min at Vy (79 KIAS). If you are seeing 300–400 ft/min, something is wrong: high density altitude, overweight, or both. High density altitude increases true airspeed for a given indicated airspeed, which means your actual stall speed (in true airspeed) is higher than normal. An overweight airplane has a higher stall speed and worse climb performance. If the climb is sluggish on departure, the airplane is operating at the edge of its performance envelope. A go-around at low altitude in these conditions is dangerous.
Weight and balance must be calculated before every flight — not estimated.
The C172R's maximum gross weight is 2,450 lb. An overweight airplane has a higher stall speed and worse climb performance. The three NTSB accidents cited (WPR21FA258, CEN14FA453, WPR11FA242) all involved overweight airplanes. If you did not weigh the airplane, you do not know your actual stall speed, your actual climb performance, or your actual center of gravity. A formal weight-and-balance calculation is not optional — it is required by 14 CFR §91.9.
A go-around at low altitude requires immediate power application and a shallow bank.
The correct go-around procedure in the C172R is: (1) reduce power to idle and lower the nose to maintain airspeed (79 KIAS / Vy), (2) execute a shallow left turn (less than 15° bank) back toward the runway, (3) apply full power once the turn is established, and (4) climb to a safe altitude (1,000 ft AGL or higher) before planning the approach. A steep turn or a delayed power application is dangerous. At 800 ft AGL, you have seconds to execute this procedure correctly.
The stall/spin recovery is immediate: lower the nose, level the wings, apply full power.
If you feel the airplane buffet or sense a stall at low altitude, the recovery is immediate: (1) lower the nose to regain airspeed, (2) level the wings to break the spin, and (3) apply full power. Do not delay. At 800 ft AGL, you may not have altitude to recover if you hesitate. The recovery must be automatic — practiced in the simulator or in a safe altitude during training, so it becomes a reflex.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB WPR21FA258 (2021 C172R stall at low altitude, overweight, high density altitude), CEN14FA453 (2014 C172R stall during return-to-airport turn, overweight), and WPR11FA242 (2011 C172R stall during go-around downwind, overweight and out of CG). All three accidents involved failure to maintain airspeed in low-altitude turns with weight/balance as a contributing factor. Localized to Tampa Executive Airport (KVDF).
NTSB reports: WPR21FA258 · CEN14FA453 · WPR11FA242
ACS tasks: PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.I.G — Cross-Country Flight Planning · PA.VIII.B — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.VIII.C — Forward Slip · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.II.A — Preflight Assessment
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.9 · §91.13 · §91.107
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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