What happened
While ferrying an aircraft to its home base following the completion of an annual inspection, the pilot experienced a complete loss of power during cruise flight. Due to the small size of the available landing area, which precluded a normal approach, the pilot performed a forced landing into a small field of rye crop. The aircraft sustained a hard landing during the maneuver.
The investigation
Post-accident investigators discovered fuel stains along the lower portion of the fuselage. Upon inspection of the engine, no fuel was found within the carburetor. The investigation revealed that the fuel fitting to the carburetor broke during flight. Further examination of the engine components showed that this specific fitting had been deformed at some point prior to the accident. Aircraft maintenance records indicated that this fitting had been adjusted during the recent annual inspection.