No fatalities

Student Pilot Stalls During Go-Around After Crosswind Landing Attempt

Lake Havasu City, AZ, United States

On May 8, 2010, a PIPER PA-28-235 operated by Ricki-Lee Halling was involved in an aviation accident near Lake Havasu City, AZ. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a go-around, resulting in a stall/mush. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A student pilot on a local training flight experienced a stall during a go-around after a crosswind pushed the aircraft left on approach. The airplane came to rest inverted.

Flight and Approach

A student pilot was conducting a local training flight. After approximately one hour of flying in the practice area, she returned to the airport to perform touch-and-go takeoffs and landings. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 200 degrees at 4 knots.

During the approach to runway 32, the student pilot felt that a crosswind blew the airplane to the left. She assessed that landing in that position would have resulted in excessive stress to the left main landing gear.

Go-Around and Stall

The student pilot initiated a go-around, applying full power and turning off carburetor heat. She indicated that at this point, an updraft pushed the airplane's nose up and the airplane stalled. The student pilot attempted to recover from the stall, but reported that the "controls were sloppy and the airplane was not responding."

Outcome

The airplane came to rest inverted.

Contributing factors

PilotPerformance/control parameters — Not attained/maintained

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 8 May 2010 PIPER PA-28-235 accident near Lake Havasu City, AZ?

A student pilot on a local training flight experienced a stall during a go-around after a crosswind pushed the aircraft left on approach. The airplane came to rest inverted.

Were there any fatalities in the 8 May 2010 PIPER PA-28-235 accident?

No fatalities were recorded in this accident.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 8 May 2010 involved a PIPER PA-28-235, operated by Ricki-Lee Halling, at Lake Havasu City, AZ.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a go-around, resulting in a stall/mush.