Maybe not relevant. But you might be interested in how a DC-9 stall is defined in the CFR. This is from the NTSB report:
Title 14 CFR 25.201(d)(1) states, in part, that the “airplane may be considered stalled when, at an angle of attack measurably greater than that for maximum lift, the inherent flight characteristics give a clear and distinctive indication to the pilot that the airplane is stalled.” The flight characteristics used to determine the stall speed of the DC-9-80 series airplanes are contained in 14 CFR 25.2O1(d)(1)(ii) which states, in part, “A roll that cannot be readily arrested... ”
You're right, they never said NW 255 stalled. They said "near the stall angle of attack."