Incident Overview
The flight was cruising at 2,000 feet with the mixture leaned for cruise conditions. A descent to 1,000 feet was initiated by reducing power. Shortly after leveling off at the lower altitude, the engine began to lose power, and the maximum RPM available was 1,700.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported pumping the throttle several times but did not select carburetor heat. He also could not recall whether he had repositioned the mixture control to a richer setting prior to deciding to execute a forced landing.
Forced Landing and Impact
The pilot selected a dirt road for the forced landing. During the landing sequence, a crosswind blew the aircraft off the road and into adjacent trees.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination of the engine and related systems revealed no evidence to suggest any failure or malfunction.