Subscriber question:
"Go-arounds are an important maneuver, but are easy to mess up if you don't practice them. Can you review some of the common mistakes pilots make when performing go-arounds?" - Anonymous
Wally:
“The biggest mistake I know of regarding go-arounds is the failure to do it! Face it, we pilots can be a little egotistical. We just flew a traffic pattern or completed an approach. We intend to land. It’s tough to turn it around in our minds just because things aren’t quite as they should be. We’re predisposed to make this work … somehow.
The accident record is full of reports by embarrassed pilots who almost made it work—but instead ended off the end of the runway and damaged their airplanes. Or worse.
This is often the case when an approach is high and fast. As the aircraft floats down the runway, the pilot gets concerned about the runway remaining. If a pilot gets concerned about being able to land and stop, even in the flare to land, that should be a warning that it’s time to go around. The longer the pilot waits, the more difficult that is to decide and execute. So, the lesson here is to go around early and often. Remember, going around is much quicker than filling out those insurance papers and FAA reports.
The second biggest, and sometimes fatal, issue is when a pilot goes around but fails to handle the directional and pitch changes that can accompany the sudden power increase. The solution here is, of course, training and practice.
In conducting tests as a DPE, I found that most applicants were proficient in go-arounds. That’s because they knew one was coming on the test and they had been practicing. But as a CFI conducting flight reviews, I saw pilots who were totally unprepared for an unexpected go-around. Many told me they have not done one since their check ride. How good would you expect to be on a maneuver you’ve not performed in years?
Another go-around problem is what I call the ‘make it or break it’ scenario. This is a situation where a pilot makes two or more go-arounds, and then crashes on the next attempt to land. If you can’t land after two attempts, something is wrong. Perhaps the turbulence is excessive. Perhaps the crosswind is too strong. Maybe the field is just too short. In my view, the correct action after two failed attempts is going somewhere else.
The go-around is an awesome safety tool, but only if we readily acknowledge when a go-around is needed and practice enough to execute them proficiently.”
