INSTRUCTOR PLT TAKES CTL TOO LATE TO AVOID RWY EXCURSION.

Narrative

WHILE INSTRUCTING A RELATIVELY NEW STUDENT IN A PIPER PA38-112 TOMAHAWK; IN LIGHT (6 KTS OR LESS) XWIND CONDITIONS; A SIT AROSE WHERE I HAD TO ASSUME CTL OF THE ACFT. THE STUDENT WAS TRACKING WELL TO THE L OF THE CTRLINE AND THE WIND WAS FROM THE R. HE BEGAN TO FLARE THE ACFT TOO HIGH ABOVE THE RWY AND PITCHED THE NOSE TOO HIGH AS WELL. ALL 3 OF THESE FACTORS (CTRLINE TRACKING; FLARE HT; AND PITCH) ARE COMMON; NATURAL MISTAKES FOR NEW STUDENTS; AND I WAS ATTEMPTING TO TALK HIM THROUGH THE PROC. BY THE TIME I TOOK THE CTLS TO INITIATE A GAR THE ACFT WAS IN A RIDICULOUSLY NOSE-HIGH ATTITUDE. FULL PWR ONLY PRODUCED A BARELY CTLABLE; IMMINENT STALL CONDITION WITH THE ACFT 'MUSHING' A FEW FT ABOVE THE GND. I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ACFT SO FAR BEHIND THE PWR CURVE IN MY LIFE. THE COMBINATION OF R XWIND AND L TURNING TENDENCIES SERVED TO PUSH US OFF TO THE L; OVER A GRASSY AREA BTWN THE RWY AND A PARALLEL TXWY. I FELT THE ACFT WAS NOT GOING TO CLB. I COULD NOT RAISE THE NOSE ANY FURTHER FOR FEAR OF STALLING; AND DID NOT WANT TO LOWER IT SO CLOSE TO THE GND. I ELECTED TO GENTLY REDUCE PWR AT THAT POINT AS I FELT I HAD ENOUGH GRASS AHEAD TO LAND SAFELY. ONCE I GOT THE ACFT ON THE GND; I REALIZED WE WERE APCHING A XING TXWY WITH LIGHTS ON EITHER SIDE. I THEN ADDED PWR AND SHARPLY INCREASED PITCH TO 'HOP' THE TXWY. I CLRED THE TXWY LIGHTS BY ALL BUT AN INCH. I STRUCK ONE ON EACH SIDE OF THE TXWY AND ROLLED TO A STOP IN THE GRASS BEYOND. I THEN SHUT DOWN THE ACFT AND MADE CERTAIN MY STUDENT WAS UNHARMED. BEFORE SWITCHING OFF THE MASTER; I USED THE RADIO TO CALL MY EMPLOYER AT THE FBO AND ASKED HIM TO COME GET US. THE ACFT WAS LARGELY UNSCATHED. THE PROP HAD NOT BEEN STRUCK; THE NOSE GEAR WAS SOUND; AND NOTHING APPEARED OUT OF PLACE. AFTER ABOUT 5 MINS OF SEARCHING; A DENT WAS DISCOVERED ON THE UNDERSIDE NEAR THE ROOT OF THE L WING. THIS WAS LATER DETERMINED TO BE 'COSMETIC' AND NOT STRUCTURAL. THIS INCIDENT WAS ENTIRELY MY FAULT. HAD I TAKEN CTL A SECOND OR 2 SOONER; I FEEL CERTAIN THE ENTIRE SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. I HAVE FACED THIS SAME SCENARIO SEVERAL DOZEN TIMES IN THE PAST AND AVOIDED AN UNPLEASANT OUTCOME EACH TIME. I AM LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT; THAT THE ACFT RECEIVED ONLY MINOR DAMAGE; THAT I AM STILL EMPLOYED AS A CFI; AND THAT MY STUDENT HAS ELECTED TO CONTINUE HIS TRAINING WITH ME.