On August 17, 2004, a Piper PA-28R-180 (registration N4631J) operated by Stafford Flying Club, Inc was involved in an aviation accident near Eliot, ME. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed above stall which resulted in a hard landing and collapse of the landing gear. Also causal was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a simulated forced landing, the airplane overshot the runway, stalled at 6 feet, and experienced a hard landing. The landing gear collapsed after veering off the runway.
Incident During Simulated Forced Landing
A flight instructor and a pilot were conducting a simulated forced landing exercise. While turning to align with the runway, the airplane overshot the landing surface. The turn was continued to the right to bring the airplane back toward the runway.
Stalled and Hard Landing
Both the flight instructor and the pilot reported that when the airplane was approximately 6 feet above the runway, it stalled, plummeted, and impacted the ground in a hard landing. During the landing roll, the airplane shook, then veered to the right and departed the landing surface.
Landing Gear Collapse and Egress
The landing gear collapsed as the airplane came to rest. The instructor and the pilot egressed the airplane without further incident. When asked about any problems with the performance or handling of the airplane, both reported no issues.