DA40 Diamond Star
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 108; Flight Crew Total 161; Flight Crew Type 34
Training / Qualification; Human-Machine Interface; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Strike - Aircraft; Inflight Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach
Human Factors
Instructor and I were performing a short field takeoff at ZZZ. After performing a smooth short field takeoff; I was focusing on keeping a Vx (best angle of climb) airspeed to clear my [hypothetical] 50 feet obstacle; which requires more of a pitch up attitude. As soon as we are leaving the ground effect my Instructor pulls the power back to simulate an engine failure. My reaction was to pitch the nose forward but nothing; except adding full power back; was going to be enough to get airflow back over the wings. We fell straight down from about 30 feet. We hit really hard on the main wheels and then; we believe; tail struck because the wheels spread out far enough for the tail to hit the ground. After hitting the ground; my Instructor immediately inputted full power for a go-around. We then came back in for a normal landing. After coming back around and landing; the airplane acted fine and landed very smoothly as usual (we did not believe a tailstrike had occurred; just a hard landing). My Instructor had us go do a few commercial maneuvers before coming back and getting fuel. As we got fuel we checked the landing gear and the tail. Sure enough; there was a baby crack either in the paint or structure of the tail. We did not fly it again. [Maintenance] came and took a look at the airplane.
While on a training flight with a commercial single engine student; I was the Flight Instructor simulating an engine out after takeoff with usable runway remaining. This was a technique taught to me by a Senior Flight Instructor who is an Airline Pilot and a CAP (Civil Air Patrol) Pilot. This technique has been used by me for over a year with commercial students only without any negative results from previous training events.On this date; I similarly pulled power less than 50 feet. AGL with over double the landing distance required left on the runway. The student failed to obtain enough nose down attitude to regain best glide. Upon reaching the runway surface; the student flared to arrest the descent and a hard landing was felt. Due to the potential for a bounce followed by a prop strike; a go-around was initiated followed by a normal landing without issue.My habit was to block the stick from being pulled back more to induce a stall that would likely result in a negative outcome. All of the previous reactions by students was an aggressive nose down that increased airspeed above best glide that resulted in a long flare and rollout on the runway. This student did not have that reaction which resulted in the slow airspeed upon reaching the runway surface.Based on this experience alone; regardless of the numerous previous positive training results; I determined alone that I would not continue to use this method of training as the risk does not outweigh the reward.
Flight instructor and student reported a hard landing during a training flight that resulted in a tail strike.