What happened
Shortly after takeoff, while climbing to 900 feet, the pilot leveled off the aircraft and reduced power to 24 inches of manifold pressure. Shortly after this adjustment, the engine began running roughly before experiencing a total loss of engine power.
The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the issue by verifying that the fuel selector was positioned to the right fuel tank and ensuring the auxiliary fuel boost pump was active. The pilot also checked each magneto, but these efforts yielded no results. The aircraft subsequently performed a gear-up landing in a field.
The investigation
The engine was removed from the aircraft and placed on a test stand for an engine run. During this test, the engine started successfully; however, during a magneto check at 1,700 RPM, the engine momentarily backfired when switched to the right magneto position, though it continued to operate.
Upon examination, the magneto assembly provided no conclusive evidence regarding the cause of the power loss. The fuel servo was also removed and tested on a stand, which revealed that it was not functioning normally. Investigators could not determine if this malfunction occurred before or after the impact. Additionally, it was noted that an Airworthiness Directive (AD) had not been accomplished.