Float and Climb — The Go-Around Trap
A balked landing in the SR22, improper flap configuration, and the critical angle of attack — a low-altitude stall/spin scenario at Zephyrhills Municipal
The scenario
Departing Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (KZPH), Zephyrhills, FL — Runway 19, a local VFR flight in the Cirrus SR22. Elevation 90 ft MSL. The runway is 5,072 ft, plenty of length. Outside air temperature 31°C, dew point 18°C, altimeter 29.92. Clear skies, light winds from the northeast at 3 kt. Density altitude approximately 1,200 ft — warm for Florida, but manageable.
You are on short final to Runway 19, descending through 500 ft AGL at 77 KIAS (Vref, short-field approach speed with full flaps). The runway is made. The approach is stable. You are configured for landing: flaps 100% (full), landing gear fixed (as always in the SR22), trim set, power reduced. Everything is normal.
At 50 ft AGL, as you begin the flare, the airplane does not want to slow down. The nose is high, the descent rate is shallow, and the runway is passing beneath you. You are floating — drifting down the runway at 80+ KIAS instead of touching down. The runway is long, but you are eating it up. You have roughly 2,000 ft of runway remaining.
Aircraft: Cirrus SR22, solo, within weight and balance, full fuel. Continental IO-550-N, constant-speed prop, glass Perspective panel, CAPS available. You are a Private pilot with 280 hours total, 45 hours in type. You have landed the SR22 a dozen times at KZPH.
Pilot: You are current and proficient, but this is your first float in the SR22. Your instinct is to go around — but you are low, slow, and the runway is still ahead. You have a decision to make in the next 10 seconds.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KZPH · Zephyrhills'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '19/1 · 5/23'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '90 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'SR22'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Cruise'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you know about the SR22's go-around procedure and flap configuration? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB WPR11LA169 (2011): A Cirrus SR22 on return to its home base at Falcon Field, Arizona, encountered excessive float during landing flare. The pilot aborted the landing and retracted flaps to climb out, but the aircraft stalled at low altitude and lost control. The airplane struck the runway, veered left, and collided with a parked Cessna 172. The probable cause was the pilot's attempt to correct a landing float by adding power and pitching up, followed by premature flap retraction and an attempt to climb out of ground effect at insufficient airspeed, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
NTSB WPR20FA019 (2019, FATAL): A Cirrus SR22 stalled during landing approach while maneuvering in the traffic pattern at low airspeed. The accident was attributed to the pilot's exceedance of the critical angle of attack while maneuvering for landing. The airplane descended into a residential area. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during landing maneuvers.
NTSB CEN18FA204 (2018, FATAL): A Cirrus SR22 on a personal flight stalled during initial climb at 200 feet and entered an uncontrollable descent, impacting terrain. Contributing factors included high density altitude and the student pilot's limited experience. The probable cause was an inadvertent stall resulting in an uncontrollable descent.
NTSB ATL06LA035 (2006): A Cirrus SR22 encountered icing conditions while climbing to 9,000 feet in an area where the aircraft was not certified to operate. The accident resulted from inadequate preflight planning, failure to obtain current weather information, and continued flight into known icing conditions, leading to ice accumulation, airspeed decay, stall, and spin.
The consistent thread across all these events: the SR22 is a fast, high-energy airplane. Its approach speeds are higher than many single-engine aircraft. A float on landing is not unusual — it is a consequence of the airplane's energy state. The trap is the go-around executed at low altitude with full flaps and marginal airspeed. Pitching up aggressively to climb out of ground effect at 80 KIAS with full flaps exceeds the critical angle of attack. The stall is sudden. The spin is unrecoverable at 50–100 ft AGL.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports (Falcon Field, Arizona; Ruidoso, New Mexico; and others) — NOT at Zephyrhills Municipal Airport. KZPH has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns: forced landings, loss of control in flight, stall/spin events), but these specific NTSB cases happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KZPH to make the off-field environment and the decision window real for you as a student here.
The critical lesson: in the SR22, a float on landing is manageable. Accept it, reduce power, let the airplane settle, and land. If you must go around, do so with a plan: add power, pitch up gently to climb, retract flaps in stages (50% first, then 0% as airspeed builds), and maintain airspeed above the stall. Never pitch up aggressively at low altitude with full flaps and marginal airspeed. If an unrecoverable stall occurs at low altitude, CAPS is the primary recovery tool — not control inputs.
Key lesson — The SR22's high energy on approach makes floats common. A float is not an emergency — it is a landing phenomenon. The emergency is the go-around executed at low altitude with full flaps and insufficient airspeed, which can result in an inadvertent stall and loss of control. Manage flap retraction in stages, maintain airspeed, and keep the pitch attitude shallow. If an unrecoverable stall occurs at low altitude, CAPS is the answer.
Debrief — teaching points
The SR22 floats on landing — it is not a flaw, it is the airplane's nature.
The SR22 is a fast, high-energy airplane. Its approach speed (Vref) is 77 KIAS with full flaps — higher than many single-engine aircraft. The constant-speed prop and 310 hp Continental IO-550 give it significant power. On landing, if the flare is shallow or the descent rate is not managed, the airplane will float. This is normal. The float is not an emergency; it is a landing phenomenon. Accept it, reduce power, and let the airplane settle. A 2,000 ft runway is plenty of space to manage a float.
A go-around at low altitude with full flaps and marginal airspeed is a stall trap.
The trap that killed pilots in WPR11LA169 and WPR20FA019 is the aggressive go-around at low altitude. You are at 50 ft AGL, 80 KIAS, full flaps. You add power and pitch up to climb. The pitch attitude becomes steep. The angle of attack increases. The airspeed does not increase — it stays at 80 KIAS or drops. You are approaching the critical angle of attack. The stall is sudden. The spin is unrecoverable at 50–100 ft AGL. The correct procedure is to pitch up gently, retract flaps in stages (50% first, then 0% as airspeed builds to 90+ KIAS), and maintain a shallow climb attitude. Never pitch up aggressively at low altitude with full flaps.
Flap retraction in a go-around must be staged, not immediate.
The maximum speed for full flaps (100%) in the SR22 is 104 KIAS. The maximum speed for 50% flaps is 119 KIAS. If you are at 80 KIAS with full flaps and you retract flaps to 50%, you are below the Vfe limit for 50% flaps — but the sudden loss of lift can cause a pitch-down and a momentary airspeed loss. Retract flaps in stages: first to 50% as you add power and begin to climb, then to 0% as the airspeed builds to 90+ KIAS. This staged approach maintains lift and prevents a sudden pitch-down or stall.
The angle of attack indicator is your primary reference during low-altitude maneuvering.
The SR22's Perspective glass panel includes an angle-of-attack indicator (AOA) — a critical tool during landing and go-around maneuvers. Airspeed alone is not sufficient at low altitude. The AOA tells you how close you are to the critical angle of attack. If the AOA is in the yellow (caution) or red (stall) zone, you are in danger. During a go-around, keep the AOA in the green arc. If the stall warning activates, reduce the pitch attitude immediately — lower the nose, reduce the angle of attack, and let the airspeed build. Do not pitch up more aggressively.
CAPS is the primary recovery tool for an unrecoverable stall at low altitude.
The SR22 is not approved for intentional spins. If an inadvertent stall occurs at low altitude and conventional recovery is not possible (because there is not enough altitude to lower the nose and regain airspeed), CAPS is the correct response. Pull the CAPS handle. The whole-airframe parachute deploys. The descent rate is controlled at roughly 15 ft/sec. You will land hard, but you will land. CAPS has saved lives in situations where conventional recovery was not possible. Do not hesitate to deploy CAPS if you recognize an unrecoverable stall at low altitude.
Density altitude affects the SR22's performance — especially on takeoff and climb.
At KZPH with an OAT of 31°C and a field elevation of 90 ft, the density altitude is roughly 1,200 ft. This means the airplane performs as if it is at 1,200 ft elevation, not 90 ft. Climb performance is reduced. Takeoff distance is increased. On a warm day, the SR22 climbs more slowly and needs more runway. Be aware of density altitude, especially on warm days. It affects your go-around performance — the airplane will not climb as aggressively as you might expect.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB WPR11LA169 (2011 SR22 stall on balked landing, improper flap config), WPR20FA019 (2019 SR22 stall during landing approach, exceeded critical angle of attack), CEN18FA204 (2018 SR22 stall on initial climb, high density altitude), and ATL06LA035 (2006 SR22 stall/spin in icing). Anonymized and localized to KZPH.
NTSB reports: WPR11LA169 · WPR20FA019 · CEN18FA204 · ATL06LA035
ACS tasks: PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.VIII.D — Approaches and Landings · PA.VIII.E — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.9
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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