Accident Narrative
The pilot reported departing St. Louis Downtown-Parks Airport (CPS) on a round-robin flight with planned stops at St. Clair Memorial Airport (K39) and Richland Municipal Airport (M034), both in Missouri. The return flight to CPS included another stop at K39. According to the pilot and the FAA, no refueling was performed during the entire journey. After 3 hours and 55 minutes of flight time, the engine began running roughly and subsequently lost power, forcing the pilot to attempt an off-airport landing. During the landing impact, the nose gear collapsed, causing the aircraft to nose over. The aircraft came to rest 3 miles short of a suitable aerodrome.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident inspection of the aircraft failed to find any significant amount of fuel in the tanks. Additionally, no pre-existing discrepancies were found in the powerplant that would suggest an engine failure.
Outcome
The aircraft sustained damage from the forced landing and subsequent nose-over. The pilot reported no injuries, and no other details about damage beyond the nose gear collapse were provided. The flight, which included multiple stops without refueling, ended with the aircraft coming to rest 3 miles from a suitable landing area.