At approximately 1055 Pacific time, the airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The private pilot and the flight instructor-rated passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the post-maintenance test flight, which had been airborne for approximately 10 minutes. Shortly after taking off and levelling at 4000 feet over the water, the airplane lost power. The flight instructor took control and, as the airplane approached a nearby runway, he lowered the landing gear and flaps. When he started to flare for landing, he had to climb to miss an earthen berm. The airplane landed hard on the other side of the berm. The left main landing gear penetrated the wing and the fuselage was twisted.
