NTSB Factual Report

On July 14, 2012, about 1600 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Loflin RV-7A, N404JT, overran the runway during landing at Gnoss Field Airport (DVO), Novato, California, and collided with terrain. The student pilot/owner operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and horizontal stabilizer. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed DVO about 1530.

The pilot reported that he intended to climb to 4,000 feet, fly around the local area, and then head back to DVO to conduct pattern work at the airport. While on climb out, at 3,300 feet, he reduced the engine power setting, and shortly thereafter, he did not feel any "pull" from the engine. The pilot noticed that the engine manifold pressure was at 5 inches. He attempted to troubleshoot the loss of engine power by adjusting the throttle and mixture controls, which were unsuccessful in regaining full power. The pilot subsequently elected to return to the airport for a precautionary landing. The pilot stated that he was unsure if it would be possible to glide to runway 31 so he elected to land on runway 13 with a 6- to 9-knot tailwind. Due to excessive altitude and airspeed, the pilot did not use flaps for landing, and attempted a forward slip; however, the airspeed continued to increase on the descent. The airplane touched down midway down runway 13, and the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it overran the end of the runway, traversed over a ditch, and came to rest inverted.

Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures with the engine or airplane systems that would have caused a loss of power. Each cylinder produced compression when the propeller was rotated by hand. Examination of the fuel system confirmed fuel delivery to the servo with both electric boost pump and engine driven pump. Fuel delivery to the fuel flow divider and fuel injectors was also confirmed. The ignition system was intact.

NTSB Probable Cause

The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to control a forward slip to reduce the altitude and airspeed to attain a proper touchdown point during landing.