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A 'balked landing' refers to

Choices

any landing that wasn't smooth.
Smooth/rough is unrelated to balked.
✓ an aborted landing executed at low altitude.correct
A balked landing is an aborted landing executed at low altitude (often after touchdown or near touchdown) when conditions become unsafe. Full power, pitch up, retract drag in stages, climb out and re-enter pattern. Same as a go-around but initiated very late. Balked landing = aborted landing very low or after touchdown. Most often after a bounce that's too high to recover, an unexpected obstruction (animal on runway), or windshear at the threshold. Procedure: full power, pitch for Vy or Vx as appropriate (positive climb attitude), retract flaps in stages, retract gear after positive climb. Identical to a go-around — terminology emphasizes the late timing.
landing on the wrong runway.
Wrong runway is a runway incursion, not balked landing.
landing with the wind.
Downwind landing is a separate concept.

Why

A balked landing is an aborted landing executed at low altitude (often after touchdown or near touchdown) when conditions become unsafe. Full power, pitch up, retract drag in stages, climb out and re-enter pattern. Same as a go-around but initiated very late. Balked landing = aborted landing very low or after touchdown. Most often after a bounce that's too high to recover, an unexpected obstruction (animal on runway), or windshear at the threshold. Procedure: full power, pitch for Vy or Vx as appropriate (positive climb attitude), retract flaps in stages, retract gear after positive climb. Identical to a go-around — terminology emphasizes the late timing.

FAA source: AFH Ch 9; AFH Chapter 9 — Approaches and Landingsbrowse the reference library →

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Original study question written for this course — representative of FAA knowledge-test topics, not an actual current FAA exam question. Reviewed by a panel of three CFIs + AI review.