Incident Overview
According to the pilot, he was undergoing a check-ride for his certified flight instructor's rating in single engine airplanes. He and the check pilot had completed several flight maneuvers and were conducting a simulated 180-degree power-off landing. The simulated maneuver was established for runway 04, with the engine operating at reduced power.
Sequence of Events
The pilot recalled that approximately three-quarters through the turn, the airspeed became slow and the sink rate increased. At approximately the same time, witnesses on the ground observed that the airplane had overshot the final approach course for the runway. The pilot applied power to arrest the sink rate and to reestablish the final approach course. When the check pilot elected to take control of the airplane, he realized that there was not enough altitude to complete the recovery.
Witness Observations
Witnesses on the ground also observed the airplane as it collided with the tops of trees short of the runway. One witness reported that the nose of the airplane pitched up. The pilot recalled that the left wing fell and the airplane collided with the ground in a nose-low attitude. The airplane came to rest about 60 feet short of the runway surface and burst into flames.
Mechanical Condition
Neither pilot reported a mechanical problem with the airplane during the simulated emergency.