What happened
Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, while climbing to an altitude of about 4,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the engine began to run roughly. The pilot initiated a 180-degree turn to return to the departure airport. Shortly thereafter, the engine stopped completely.
In an attempt to restart the engine, the pilot activated the fuel boost pump, applied carburetor heat, leaned the mixture, and checked the magnetos. The engine restarted and ran for approximately one minute before failing again. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot executed a forced landing onto a grass field. During the landing roll, the aircraft struck a six-foot ditch.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft was conducted. Inspectors looked for evidence of engine failure or carburetor issues that might explain the in-flight shutdowns. No engine or carburetor failure or malfunction was found during the inspection.