Got behind the power curve on a go-around. Lesson Learned!

Wrench978

Wrench978

Pre-takeoff checklist
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Wrench978
I debated posting this in the Lessons Learned sub forum, but I figured it might be better as a learning aid here. and I don't feel the need to be anonymous with it. I am an 85 hour pp and went up with an instructor to work on some gusty crosswind landings at 7B3 (hampton, NH, 2100' with trees on both ends). I have never been ashamed to perform a go around if I feel like my approach is unsafe, and I had a couple approaches that I ended up too high. Around we went. one landing I came in a bit fast, the gust dropped out in the flare, and I bounced. not hard, but with the excess speed, I bounced pretty high. Go around time! firewall it and pulled up some of my flaps. I was waiting for it to start climbing, but never did. Eventually the instructor told me "Lower the nose." As soon as I did that, we started climbing.

I was mushing along, full power but not climbing. The great thing about making that mistake when I did is that a)I had an instructor there to tell me what I was doing wrong, and b) I will now recognize the condition and I won't make that mistake again!
 
Great lesson, glad you learned it the way you did!
 
A change in behavior due to experience. Also known as learning. Sounds like you learned and will not repeat.
 
A great lesson! Thank you for sharing.

I have found most new aviators may understand intellectually how an airplane flies but somewhere inside they still feel that it is like a car and will go where the nose is pointed. Point the nose over the trees and it will go there.

Glad your lesson was painless.
 
I've seen students do this so you are not alone. It is more likely when the airplane is heavy (or one with a low power to weight ratio like a 150) or at high DA. Just as commonly though, I see the opposite problem. Full power and they never raise the nose at all, we accelerate way past Vy and don't climb.
 
You didn't post the aircraft type but I recommend that you pay special attention to the short field procedures when reviewing the POH. Some aircraft like to climb with a notch of flaps and others without. When you dumped the flaps you may have also dumped more lift than drag, adding a link in the accident chain. Glad you cut the link.
 
Jaybird180 said:
You didn't post the aircraft type but I recommend that you pay special attention to the short field procedures when reviewing the POH. Some aircraft like to climb with a notch of flaps and others without. When you dumped the flaps you may have also dumped more lift than drag, adding a link in the accident chain. Glad you cut the link.
Click to expand...

C172M. Bring half flaps up, then once I have airspeed and altitude, I work the rest out. I don't bring them all the way up.
 
In my area in summer mid day with high DA in a C-152, my CFI would call for a go-around right as the mains rolled on ... several times during training ... the lesson being, you're going to re-settle to the runway a second time, don't spaz out. It was one of the best things he ever taught.
 
Sounds like you handled it well. What are these "flaps" to which you refer? ;)

I actually once dumped all the flaps in a C150 during a go around, instead of milking them. We were at max gross, dropped toward the runway, but eventually started climbing again. Scared the crap out of me!
 
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