What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 8, 2015, about 1520 pacific daylight time, a vans RV-7A, N51MJ, experienced a total loss of engine power during descent to Dayton Valley Airpark (A34) Dayton, Nevada. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and rudder. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from auburn municipal airport (aun), auburn, California at an unknown time.
The pilot reported that he started his descent from a cruising altitude of 11,500 feet. As the airplane descended through about 8,500 feet he increased throttle and the engine did not respond. He switched fuel tanks and attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. The pilot landed the airplane in a field just short of the destination airport's runway. When the nose wheel touched the soft dirt the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
The airplane has been moved to a secure location for further examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 8, 2015, ABOUT 1520 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A VANS RV-7A, N51MJ, EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING DESCENT TO DAYTON VALLEY AIRPARK (A34) DAYTON, NEVADA. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT WING AND RUDDER. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS OPERATED ON A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM AUBURN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (AUN), AUBURN, CALIFORNIA AT AN UNKNOWN TIME.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE STARTED HIS DESCENT FROM A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 11,500 FEET. AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED THROUGH ABOUT 8,500 FEET HE INCREASED THROTTLE AND THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A FIELD JUST SHORT OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT'S RUNWAY. WHEN THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED THE SOFT DIRT THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
THE AIRPLANE HAS BEEN MOVED TO A SECURE LOCATION FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.