Event
During a maintenance flight, while on final approach, the engine ceased operating. The pilot reported that he was slipping the aircraft on the final approach when the engine started misfiring. He then switched fuel tanks in an attempt to restore engine power, but the action was unsuccessful.
Fuel System
Adequate fuel was available in the right fuel tank. The left fuel tank contained 4.5 gallons, of which 3.5 gallons were unusable. The fuel tank selection was changed during the approach, but engine power did not improve.
Landing
The aircraft landed 2 miles short of the runway in the desert. The landing damaged the main landing gear and caused the nose gear to fail. No other damage or injuries were reported in the source.