When in Doubt, a Pilot Should Always Go Around

Power up. Pitch up. Clean up. Fess up.

This is what my instructor said when he taught me how to do a go-around, also known as a balked landing. Knowing when not to land is more important than how to land because trying to salvage a bad landing often leads to an accident.

A review of the accident reports compiled by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), cross-referenced with the information gleaned for AOPA’s McSpadden Report that offers a real-time analysis of general aviation accidents, indicates a good portion happen during the landing phase—especially in the training environment as most of those flights involve multiple laps in the pattern, ergo multiple landings.

The Airplane Flying Handbook teaches us that a “go-around is a normal maneuver that is used when approach and landing parameters deviate from expectations or when it is hazardous to continue.”

The go-around is one of those maneuvers all pilots should practice and become proficient at. Any approach—even one that looks textbook perfect—can terminate in a go-around.

If the pilot is behind the airplane—for example, forgetting to go through checklist items such as landing gear down—a go-around is a good choice. The pre-landing checklist, often called the GUMPS check, calls for the pilot to check the fuel lever (gas) is on best tank, mains, or both, depending on the type of aircraft being flown, the undercarriage is down and locked, the mixture and manifold pressure set, the propeller set, fuel pumps (if called for) are on, and the primer in and locked if the aircraft is so equipped, and safety items—seat belts and lights—are in use.

I want to observe the GUMPS check run at least four times—on the 45, downwind, base and final, and teach my learners to verbalize it as they do it, ending the recitation and actions with “checklist complete.” Saying it as you perform the action is a good way to make sure you got everything, and for the learners who aspire to be instructors, you may want to perform the checklist and fly the pattern as if you are teaching it.

I use this technique with the learners pre-solo, because it also shows me that they have learned the procedures. I want to hear GUMPS after performing a required power reduction or aircraft reconfiguration, such as adding the landing gear or flaps. Even if the airplane we are flying is fixed gear, I want to see them look out the window, if appropriate, and ascertain the position of the landing gear.

Delaying a go-around because the pilot is trying to salvage the landing can be dangerous. The pilots who “dump the flaps” on final can get surprised by the sudden change in pitch and then double surprised when they immediately—and incorrectly—take all the flaps out and have another dramatic pitch change.

For this reason savvy CFIs will take the learners to the practice area, climb to an altitude of at least 3,000, and set the power and hold heading as if lined up for landing then dump flaps in—experience the pitch—then take all the flaps out and notice the settling. It’s much better to experience that at altitude when there is time to recover than close to the ground when there isn’t a lot of time or options.

Don’t get into a fight with the airplane. Most CFIs can tell you a story about a student they were training who was yanking the yoke or stick with both hands while on final approach, and the instructor had to take over to avoid a crash. Part of this overcontrolling might be because they were never taught how to trim the aircraft for approach.

I have had two learners that I inherited from other CFIs who would grab the yoke like they were doing a seated row at the gym, and yank on it during the roundout. This would lead to ballooning and sometimes a bounce. When asked why they did it, both replied they were worried they weren’t strong enough to hold the nose off. “Even with trim?” I asked. The term was unfamiliar.

I am happy to report a trip to the practice area and a few minutes of faux pattern at altitude gave them the skills to touch down properly.

Importance of Right Rudder

One of the other reasons faux pattern at altitude is a good tool for teaching approaches and go-arounds is that it is a safe place to impress upon the learner the need for right to counteract the left-turning tendency when you add full power and pitch up. The sudden application of power raises the airplane’s nose and causes left yaw.

The student needs to get used to counteracting this with the right rudder and a gentle pitch correction. Failure to do so can result in a stall close to the ground when the go-around occurs at a low altitude. You have probably seen video of stall/spin crashes caused by an improperly executed go around.

Don’t Rush the Cleanup

As previously discussed, taking the flaps out in one fell swoop results in reduced lift and a settling of the aircraft. The flaps need to be removed incrementally and the pitch adjusted accordingly.

Remember the last thing you need to do is the radio call. If you don’t land, the other pilots will likely figure out you’re going around.

Correct Surface

Verify the aircraft is lined up on the correct surface. Study the airport diagram in flight and, if the airport has parallel runways, enunciate the assigned runway and make sure you’ve got the correct one off your nose.

Unfamiliar airports, flat lighting, or low-light situations, pilot fatigue, or complacency can lead to landing on the wrong surface. If there is another aircraft on approach to the runway parallel to what you have been assigned, be extra vigilant.

One of the worst accidents I had to report about was the 2022 midair collision between a Piper Meridian and Cessna 172 at the North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) on July 17, 2022, killing four people aboard both planes. The Cessna was cleared to land on Runway 30R. The Piper was cleared to land on Runway 30L, and the pilot read the clearance back correctly but lined up for Runway 30R. 

According to the NTSB accident report, ATC at the towered airport did not issue traffic advisories or warnings to either pilot. The aircraft collided a quarter of a mile from Runway 30R. The agency noted the Cessna was performing right traffic to Runway 30R and was in a right turn at the time of impact. The Piper was in a left turn, and the windscreen and wing structures of both aircraft created blindspots.

One trick seasoned pilots teach is looking for the other aircraft’s shadow on the ground during daylight approaches. Also pay attention to the type of aircraft near you. If you are in a Cessna (high wing) and the other aircraft is a Cirrus or Piper (low wing), make sure you’re not beneath them—look for that shadow.

Another trick is to always assume the other pilot doesn’t see you and to fly defensively.  Remember, if the situation gets too erratic, be prepared to depart the pattern, then reenter and try again. Never rush it. When in doubt, be prepared to go around.

Times you will want to go around:

• Unstable approach. The aircraft is not on the correct glide path or speed or lined up with the correct runway because of a skidding turn, resulting in an overshoot to final.
• When told to go around by ATC. Don’t argue—do it.
• If there is a landing gear issue. If you don’t have a positive indication of the gear down and locked, don’t risk it. Do a tower flyby or have another pilot take a good look at your gear as you do a flyover.
• When told to go around by your CFI. Don’t be macho or antiauthority.
• If you have not touched down on the first third of the runway or your airing point, whichever is farther down the span. You do not want to run out of runway and options at the same time.
• Excessive braking after touchdown. If you’re sliding and/or heading toward an obstacle, get it back into the air.
• When there are unexpected obstacles on the runway. It could be another airplane,  animal, or even person or car.

I had the experience of a woman who parked her car on the approach end of the runway and was using their cellphone when one of my coworkers was on short final. I was at the hold short line in another aircraft with a learner. The woman in the car was absorbed in her phone and didn’t see us 50 feet away with the propeller turning—nor did she see the airplanes in the pattern.

I got on the radio and warned the aircraft in the pattern that there was a car parked on the runway. That got the attention of the airport manager, who rather rapidly drove out in his truck to intercept her while my coworker went around. The driver was escorted off the runway.

She wasn’t sure how she got on the runway.  She thought she was in a park because she saw the grass infield but apparently failed to see all the parked airplanes on the ramp.