Why does my aircraft pitch up and stall after touchdown?

An aircraft that pitches up and appears to stall after touchdown has usually bounced back into the air because of excessive touchdown speed, a hard landing, or too much aft elevator. Hold the landing attitude after a minor bounce; if the nose rises sharply, airspeed decays, or control is uncertain, go around.

Is it really a stall after touchdown?

Usually, the sequence is a bounce followed by an airborne stall, not a stall caused by the wheels touching. The landing gear compresses and rebounds, residual lift carries the aircraft upwards, and continued back-pressure increases the angle of attack. Airspeed then decays and the aircraft drops onto the runway again.

A stall occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack, not simply because speed is low. A brief stall-warning chirp during the flare can occur at a high landing angle of attack. If the aircraft is firmly on the runway, loss of lift is desirable; if it has bounced airborne, the same warning demands immediate attention.

Why does the nose pitch up after the wheels touch?

The wheel contact alone does not normally command a pitch-up; it exposes an approach, control or configuration problem that was already developing. Common causes include:

• Excess touchdown speed: the wings are still producing enough lift to fly, so a small disturbance or aft input sends the aircraft airborne again.
• A hard or flat touchdown: the landing gear absorbs a high sink rate and can rebound before the aircraft's weight is firmly transferred to the wheels.
• Too much back-pressure: pulling after a bounce raises the angle of attack just as airspeed is disappearing.
• Leaving ground effect: a bounced aircraft encounters greater induced drag as it rises away from the runway, worsening the speed loss.
• Incorrect trim, loading or centre of gravity: excessive nose-up trim or an aft centre of gravity makes the pitch excursion harder to stop.
• Pilot-induced oscillation: alternating aft and forward inputs turn one bounce into a damaging porpoise.

Approach speed must come from the aircraft's operating information and be adjusted for weight and conditions. For a familiar light-aircraft example, our explanation of how Cessna 172 approach and touchdown speeds differ shows why carrying extra speed encourages floating and bouncing.

How should I recover from a bounced landing?

A slight bounce can sometimes be recovered, but a high bounce, large pitch change or developing oscillation calls for a go-around.

1. Assess the bounce: continue only if it is low, the landing attitude remains stable, directional control is secure and ample runway remains.
2. Hold the correct attitude: avoid pulling farther back or pushing the nose towards the runway. A small amount of power may be used where the aircraft's procedure permits it to cushion the next contact.
3. Recognise an unstable recovery: go around if the nose rises sharply, the aircraft begins porpoising, a wing drops, the stall warning continues or the remaining runway becomes doubtful.
4. Control pitch as power is applied: establish the prescribed go-around attitude rather than allowing power, trim or propeller effects to produce another excessive pitch-up. Change flap and gear configuration only in accordance with the aircraft's procedure.

Trying to salvage a serious bounce by forcing the nose down is a mistake we see constantly in simulators. It can produce a nose-wheel strike, another harder bounce or an escalating porpoise. Our practical techniques for eliminating balloons and bounces cover the control inputs in more detail.

How do I prevent the aircraft bouncing and stalling?

Prevent the problem with a stabilised approach, the correct speed and one progressive flare rather than a late pull on the controls.

• Use the published approach speed for the aircraft, weight and conditions.
• Trim for a stable approach, not for a hands-off flare with excessive nose-up trim.
• Maintain a consistent aiming point and descent path; our guide to reading visual approach and runway cues explains how to recognise instability before the flare.
• Reduce the descent rate with a gradual pitch change and let speed decay instead of hauling the nose upwards.
• After main-wheel contact, hold the landing attitude briefly and lower the nose wheel under control rather than releasing or increasing elevator abruptly.

Aircraft type matters. A tricycle-gear trainer, tailwheel aircraft and transport jet do not use identical post-touchdown control techniques. Tailwheel wheel landings and three-point landings require different elevator handling, while jets may specify a controlled nose-wheel derotation and rely on ground spoilers to dump lift. The aircraft flight manual or pilot's operating handbook takes priority over generic advice.

What if this happens only in a flight simulator?

A pitch-up that occurs at exactly the same moment on every touchdown, regardless of landing quality, often indicates an input or aircraft-configuration problem rather than aerodynamics.

• Check for duplicate elevator-axis, elevator-trim or brake-button assignments across the yoke, joystick, pedals and game controller.
• Watch the simulator's control-position display, if available, for an aft elevator spike when the wheels touch or when brakes are applied.
• Recalibrate the pitch axis and add only enough dead zone to remove unwanted movement.
• Confirm that the autopilot, landing assistance and AI control features are not fighting manual inputs during the flare.
• Verify pitch trim, fuel loading, payload and centre of gravity before approach.
• Repeat the landing in calm weather with a default aircraft. If the fault disappears, the original aircraft's flight model, loading or control profile is the likely source.

If the pitch-up begins only when go-around power is applied, anticipate the aircraft's normal power and trim effects and prevent over-rotation. If it begins when braking, inspect the brake controls for an accidental elevator or trim binding.