Accident Summary
A flight instructor and a commercial pilot were conducting a local instructional flight to satisfy the pilot's annual insurance currency requirements in the accident airplane. The maneuver involved a simulated loss of engine power during initial climb followed by a return for a downwind landing.
Sequence of Events
During the initial climb, after reaching 1,200 feet above ground level (agl), the flight instructor reduced engine power to flight idle and feathered the propeller. The pilot then reduced the airplane's pitch and entered a left turn with a 45-degree bank angle back toward the airport. After rolling wings level, the instructor noted that the airplane appeared lower than expected during its glide toward the runway, but judged that sufficient altitude remained for a safe landing. He instructed the pilot to continue without increasing engine power.
As the airplane crossed over the runway threshold at 40 feet agl, the instructor decided to abort the maneuver. He advanced the engine power lever to the full-forward position and increased the airplane's pitch to arrest the descent, but did not perceive an increase in engine thrust. With no increase in thrust and the increased pitch, the airplane's airspeed decreased rapidly. The airplane entered an aerodynamic stall at about 30 feet above the runway, impacted the runway, and then slid into a grassy area.
Pilot Statements
The flight instructor reported that he did not recall advancing the propeller control when he decided to abort the maneuver. He stated that the perceived lack of engine thrust was likely because the propeller remained feathered after engine power was increased. Additionally, he postulated that the airplane's landing gear had not been retracted after takeoff, which resulted in a reduced climb gradient and caused the airplane to enter the maneuver farther from the airport than anticipated. He noted that with the landing gear extended, the airplane experienced reduced glide performance during the simulated forced landing. The instructor further stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had maintained a safe flying airspeed after taking control of the airplane, and that his delayed decision to abort the maneuver resulted in an insufficient margin of safety.
Probable Cause
The flight instructor's delayed decision to abort the simulated engine out maneuver, his failure to unfeather the propeller before restoring engine power, and his inadequate airspeed management, which led to an aerodynamic stall at low altitude.