Float and Drift at Tampa North
Energy management in a slippery DA40, a short runway, and the cost of a late landing decision
The scenario
Departing Tampa North Aero Park Airport (X39), Tampa, FL — Runway 14, a 3,541 ft asphalt strip. Elevation 68 ft MSL. You are on a local instructional flight with your CFI in the right seat. The DA40 is a slippery airplane — composite airframe, constant-speed prop, fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360. It floats. It holds energy. Energy management on approach is not optional.
Conditions: VFR, clear skies, wind 150° at 6 kt (nearly calm, slight crosswind for Runway 14 heading 141°). Visibility 10 SM. OAT 24°C. You have been flying for about 1.5 hours; this is your third approach to X39 today. The first two were uneventful. You are comfortable with the field.
You are on a 3-mile final for Runway 14. Altitude 800 ft AGL, airspeed 90 KIAS, descent rate 500 fpm. The runway is in sight. You have not yet reduced power or extended full flaps. Your CFI is quiet — letting you fly the approach. You are thinking about the landing.
Aircraft: Diamond DA40, solo (you) plus CFI, within limits, full fuel. Constant-speed prop (RPM management required), fuel selector on LEFT tank (full), fixed gear, G1000 glass panel. Flaps are at 0°. You have not yet briefed the go-around or discussed energy management on this approach.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, roughly 250 hours total, 40 hours in the DA40. You have landed at X39 twice before today. You are comfortable with the airplane and the field. Your CFI has not yet said anything about the approach — you assume it is normal.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'X39 · Tampa North Aero Park'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '14/32'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '68 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'DA40'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Takeoff / Landing'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about the DA40's approach and landing characteristics? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB GAA19CA582 (2019): A Diamond DA40 on an instructional flight experienced a loss of control during an aborted go-around when the pilot cut power and applied brakes with insufficient runway remaining. The pilot initiated a go-around from short final, then decided to abort it and land. The airplane ran off the runway end and struck a concrete barrier. The probable cause was the pilot's decision to abort the go-around without adequate runway distance and his failure to accurately communicate his intentions to air traffic control.
NTSB ERA21LA039 (2020): A Diamond DA40 on a Part 91 supervised solo instructional flight lost directional control during landing when the aircraft bounced and drifted left. The student pilot's attempt to abort the landing was unsuccessful, and the aircraft struck a taxiway sign and cartwheeled before impacting a security fence. The probable cause was the pilot's loss of directional control while landing, which resulted in a runway excursion.
NTSB GAA19CA038 (2018): A Diamond DA40 flown by a solo student pilot experienced a runway excursion and struck a taxiway sign after landing with excessive speed. The accident was attributed to the student pilot's excessive taxi speed during a turn from the runway to a taxiway. The root cause was a fast landing that left insufficient margin for safe deceleration and directional control.
The common thread: the DA40 is a slippery airplane. It floats in ground effect. It holds energy. A fast approach (85+ KIAS instead of Vref 70 KIAS) results in a long landing distance. On a 3,541 ft runway like Runway 14 at X39, a fast landing leaves little margin. The off-field environment at X39 is medium development, low-density development, and wooded wetland — not a soft field or open grass. A runway excursion at X39 is not a minor event; it is a collision with obstacles or terrain.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other DA40s — NOT at Tampa North Aero Park. X39 has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns: 27.3% loss of control inflight, 18.2% loss of control ground, 9.1% obstacle on takeoff/landing). This scenario is localized to X39 to make the runway length and off-field environment real and consequential for you as a student here.
The consistent lesson across all three NTSB events: energy management on approach is not optional in the DA40. Early power reduction, gradual flap extension, and a stable descent rate at Vref (70 KIAS) are the keys to a safe landing. A go-around is not a failure — it is airmanship. An aborted go-around with insufficient runway is a trap.
Key lesson — The DA40 is a slippery, high-performance airplane. It floats in ground effect and holds energy. On a 3,541 ft runway like Runway 14 at X39, a fast approach (85 KIAS instead of Vref 70 KIAS) results in a touchdown 1,800 ft down the runway with only 1,700 ft remaining — a thin margin. Energy management on approach (early power reduction, gradual flap extension, stable descent rate at Vref) is the entire lesson. If the approach is unstable at 500 ft AGL, go around — do not try to salvage it. If you commit to a go-around, complete it; do not abort it mid-way with insufficient runway remaining.
Debrief — teaching points
The DA40 is a slippery airplane — energy management on approach is critical.
The DA40 has a composite airframe, a constant-speed prop, and a fuel-injected Lycoming IO-360. It is efficient and holds energy. In ground effect, it floats. An approach at 90 KIAS instead of Vref (70 KIAS) results in a touchdown 1,200–1,800 ft down the runway instead of 500 ft. On a 3,541 ft runway like Runway 14 at X39, that difference is the margin between a safe landing and a runway excursion. Energy management begins 3 miles final: reduce power early, extend flaps gradually, and establish a stable descent rate at Vref.
Vref for the DA40 is 70 KIAS; approach speed is 70 KIAS; landing speed is 49 KIAS (Vs0).
Vref (approach / short final) is 70 KIAS. This is the speed at which the DA40 should cross the runway threshold and begin the flare. An approach at 90 KIAS is 20 kt fast — it will float 500+ ft farther down the runway. An approach at 80 KIAS is 10 kt fast — it will float 200+ ft farther. The difference is not academic; it is the difference between a safe landing and a runway excursion on a 3,541 ft runway. Know Vref and fly it.
Flaps must be extended gradually and within speed limits; Vfe (max flap extended) is 91 KIAS.
The DA40's flap schedule is 0° → 20° → 40°. Max flap speed (Vfe) is 91 KIAS. Flaps should be extended gradually: 20° on base leg or early final, then 40° at 1 mile final or when the runway is made. Extending full flaps at 90 KIAS is legal (you are within Vfe), but it increases drag sharply and the descent rate increases. The approach becomes steep and unstable. Extend flaps gradually and in sequence.
In the landing rollout, keep full flaps extended to maintain drag — do not retract them immediately.
A common error in the DA40 is to retract flaps immediately after touchdown to reduce lift. This removes the drag benefit of full flaps and the airplane continues to float and roll. The correct technique is to keep full flaps extended during the rollout (they are already down and providing drag) and apply brakes. Full flaps + moderate braking will stop the airplane in a shorter distance than flaps-up + hard braking. The DA40 is slippery — use the flaps for drag.
An unstable approach at 500 ft AGL is not a landing — it is a go-around.
If the approach is fast (85+ KIAS), high (above the glide slope), or not fully configured (flaps less than 40°) at 500 ft AGL, go around. Do not try to salvage an unstable approach. A go-around is not a failure; it is airmanship. Climb back to pattern altitude, brief the next approach, and fly a stable, fully configured approach at Vref. The cost of a go-around is a few minutes; the cost of a runway excursion is damage, injury, or worse.
If you commit to a go-around, complete it — do not abort it mid-way.
Once you advance the throttle and pitch up for a go-around, commit to it. Do not abort the go-around mid-way and try to land with insufficient runway remaining. This is the trap that NTSB GAA19CA582 describes: a go-around abort with insufficient runway, loss of control, and runway excursion. If you are at 100 ft AGL and realize the approach is unstable, go around. If you are at 200 ft AGL and committed to the go-around, complete it — do not abort it.
The DA40 has a constant-speed prop — RPM must be managed actively on approach.
The DA40's constant-speed prop requires active RPM management. On approach, reduce RPM to 1,200–1,500 RPM to reduce noise and increase descent rate. Do not leave the prop at cruise RPM (2,000+ RPM) on approach — the high RPM will increase descent rate and make the approach unstable. Manage the prop actively: reduce RPM as you reduce power, and adjust as needed to maintain a stable descent rate.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB GAA19CA582 (2019 DA40 go-around abort / runway excursion), ERA21LA039 (2020 DA40 landing bounce / directional control loss), and GAA19CA038 (2018 DA40 excessive landing speed / taxiway strike). Localized to Tampa North Aero Park Airport (X39).
NTSB reports: GAA19CA582 · ERA21LA039 · GAA19CA038
ACS tasks: PA.II.E — Approach and Landing · PA.II.F — Go-Around / Rejected Landing · PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing
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.
Open the interactive scenario →All sample scenarios · More Diamond DA40 scenarios · More scenarios at X39