Commercial Pilot ACS Study Guide: Go-Around / Rejected Landing

A go-around is not a failed landing. It is a normal maneuver used when continuing an approach or landing is no longer the safest option.

At the commercial pilot level, the FAA expects more than simply knowing how to add power and climb away. The applicant should recognize conditions that warrant discontinuing the landing, make the decision without unnecessary delay, properly manage aircraft configuration and energy, and maintain control throughout the transition from descent to climb.

The current Commercial Pilot – Airplane ACS identifies this maneuver as CA.IV.N — Go-Around/Rejected Landing and evaluates the pilot’s knowledge, risk management, and practical execution of the maneuver.

Recognizing When to Go Around

Commercial pilots should continuously evaluate whether an approach remains safe and stable. Common reasons to discontinue an approach or reject a landing include:

  • Excessive airspeed or an unstable descent rate
  • Poor runway alignment or excessive lateral drift
  • Overshooting the desired touchdown area
  • Improper aircraft configuration
  • Significant windshear, gusts, or unexpected wind changes
  • Runway contamination or an unexpected runway condition
  • Traffic, vehicles, wildlife, or other runway conflicts
  • An aircraft remaining on the runway
  • A bounced or otherwise poorly developing landing
  • Loss of required visual references
  • Any situation in which continuing the landing creates unnecessary risk

The important principle is timing. The ACS specifically evaluates both delayed recognition of the need for a go-around and delayed execution of one at low altitude.

A pilot should never continue an unsafe approach just because the airplane is close to the runway.

 

Stabilized Approach & Energy Management — CA.IV.N.K1

A stable approach places the airplane in a predictable position from which a normal landing can reasonably be completed.

The pilot should understand how airspeed, altitude, configuration, power, descent rate, and flightpath collectively represent the airplane’s energy state.

An airplane that is high and fast possesses excess energy. One that is low and slow may have insufficient energy and reduced margins above stall. Large corrections close to the runway are a warning that the approach may no longer be developing normally.

Commercial-level judgment means recognizing when those corrections are becoming excessive rather than attempting to salvage the approach.

Atmospheric Conditions — CA.IV.N.K2

Wind and density altitude can significantly change the performance of a go-around.

A strong or gusty crosswind may require aggressive directional control and wind correction during the transition to climb. Windshear can produce rapid changes in airspeed and flightpath, while a tailwind can increase groundspeed and complicate both the approach and rejected landing.

Density altitude is especially important because high density altitude reduces aircraft performance. During a go-around, the pilot may have full power applied while receiving considerably less climb performance than expected.

That becomes particularly important when obstacles or rising terrain exist beyond the runway.

Wind Correction — CA.IV.N.K3

Crosswind correction does not stop simply because a go-around has begun.

During the transition from landing configuration to climb, maintain directional control and adjust the flight controls as necessary to compensate for wind drift. As the airplane climbs away from the runway, transition to the appropriate wind correction for the departure path.

The goal is to maintain a controlled ground track rather than allowing the airplane to drift unintentionally toward parallel runways, obstacles, or other traffic.

 

Executing the Go-Around — CA.IV.N.K4

Always follow the aircraft’s POH/AFM and manufacturer procedures, but a typical go-around follows the general sequence:

Power → Pitch → Configuration → Climb → Communicate

Apply takeoff power promptly while maintaining aircraft control. Establish the appropriate climb attitude and manage pitch forces as power is increased.

Once a positive rate of climb is established, reconfigure the aircraft in accordance with the POH/AFM. Avoid abrupt configuration changes that could produce a rapid loss of lift or an excessive pitch change.

Continue the climb at the appropriate airspeed while maintaining directional control and clearing obstacles and conflicting traffic.

The ACS requires the applicant to transition toward Vx or Vy as appropriate within ±5 knots and then maintain Vy ±5 knots to a safe maneuvering altitude.

Configuration Management

One of the most important parts of a go-around is managing configuration without allowing aircraft control to deteriorate.

Adding full power in a trimmed landing configuration can produce substantial pitch forces. At the same time, flap retraction may change both lift and drag.

Do not become so focused on switches, flaps, landing gear, or checklists that airspeed and attitude are neglected.

The ACS specifically identifies improper power application, aircraft configuration, low-altitude maneuvering, and distraction/task prioritization as risks associated with this maneuver.

Fly the airplane first.

A Go-Around After Touchdown

A rejected landing may also occur after the airplane has contacted the runway.

If the airplane bounces, directional control deteriorates, the remaining runway becomes questionable, or another unsafe condition develops, a go-around may still be appropriate.

However, the decision must account for aircraft configuration, remaining runway, available climb performance, obstacles, and manufacturer guidance.

Avoid the dangerous mindset of believing that once the wheels touch the runway, the landing must be completed.

Traffic & Runway Considerations

During a go-around, immediately reassess the traffic environment.

There may be another aircraft ahead, traffic departing from an intersecting runway, or an aircraft operating in the traffic pattern. When necessary, the ACS expects the pilot to maneuver to the side of the runway or landing area to maintain visual contact with and avoid conflicting traffic.

At tower-controlled airports, advise ATC of the go-around as appropriate and follow subsequent instructions. At non-towered airports, make an appropriate radio call and remain alert for other traffic.

Aircraft control remains the priority—aviate before communicating.

LAHSO Considerations

The current ACS specifically includes managing a go-around after accepting a Land and Hold Short Operations (LAHSO) clearance as a risk-management consideration.

This is important because a pilot who has accepted LAHSO should already have considered what actions would be required if the landing needs to be rejected.

A go-around should never become an improvised decision without considering intersecting-runway traffic and ATC coordination.

Common Errors

Watch for delayed go-around decisions, excessive pitch after applying power, failure to maintain airspeed, abrupt flap retraction, premature gear or configuration changes, poor rudder coordination, failure to correct for wind drift, fixation on radio calls or checklists, and attempting to salvage an unstable approach.

One of the most serious mistakes is changing your mind after initiating the maneuver. Once a go-around is necessary, execute it deliberately unless circumstances genuinely require another course of action.

What the Examiner Is Looking For

During the practical test, demonstrate that you can recognize when the landing should be discontinued and transition smoothly from approach to climb.

The ACS requires the applicant to:

  • Complete the appropriate checklist(s)
  • Make appropriate radio calls
  • Make a timely decision to discontinue the landing
  • Apply takeoff power immediately
  • Establish the appropriate Vx or Vy climb attitude and airspeed within ±5 knots
  • Reconfigure after establishing a positive rate of climb or as directed by the manufacturer
  • Avoid conflicting traffic when necessary
  • Maintain Vy within ±5 knots to a safe maneuvering altitude
  • Maintain directional control and proper wind-drift correction
  • Apply runway-incursion avoidance procedures when applicable

These standards come directly from CA.IV.N.S1–S9 of the current Commercial Pilot – Airplane ACS.

Checkride Mindset

A commercial pilot should approach every landing with a go-around already available as an option.

Do not wait until the airplane is obviously unsafe before acting. Evaluate the approach continuously and ask:

Is the airplane where it should be, at the speed it should be, configured correctly, and positioned to complete a normal landing?

If the answer becomes no and cannot be corrected safely, discontinue the approach.

A prompt go-around demonstrates judgment—not failure.

Key Takeaway

The most important skill in a go-around is not adding power. It is recognizing when continuing the landing no longer makes sense.

Make the decision early, apply power positively, control pitch and airspeed, reconfigure methodically, maintain directional control, and establish a safe climb before allowing secondary tasks to take your attention away from flying the airplane.

FAA References

  • Commercial Pilot for Airplane Category Airman Certification Standards (FAA-S-ACS-7B), Area of Operation IV, Task N — Go-Around/Rejected Landing
  • FAA Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3)
  • FAA Risk Management Handbook (FAA-H-8083-2)
  • FAA Seaplane, Skiplane, and Float/Ski Equipped Helicopter Operations Handbook (FAA-H-8083-23), when applicable
  • FAA Pilot’s Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25)
  • Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM)
  • Aircraft POH/AFM