Incident Details
During a swath run, the pilot reported that the engine lost power. The aircraft made a forced landing in a field of mature sunflowers, sustaining damage during the landing.
Post-Accident Findings
An examination of the aircraft after the accident revealed that both fuel tanks and the gascolator contained fuel. The engine was started at the accident site and ran normally up to 1000 RPM. The engine was not operated at a higher RPM because the propeller was bent.
Previous Fuel System Issues
The owner-operator reported that on previous occasions, fuel would feed from the left fuel tank faster than from the right tank when the fuel selector was in the ON position. He also reported that on previous occasions, the bladder liners of the fuel tanks were found to be unsnapped and appeared to have collapsed. According to the report, no action was taken aside from reattaching the bladders.