Old Akro,
I don't believe you are reading the report as closely as you could, re the simulator trials. The pilot doing the trials said that leg muscle forces "could only be held for a short period of time". And obviously, the strength, fitness and age of the pilot would be a factor in exactly what the period of time was, and to which airspeed things could be managed.
The simulator performance in this situation would not be an exact replication of the real aircraft. Did the simulation have the same CG as the accident aircraft? It doesn't say, but that aspect would have a bearing on the controllability.