Incident Overview
A visual flight rules (VFR) final approach became critical when the pilot observed the airplane was 'a little high' and reduced the throttle to lose altitude. Immediately after this power reduction, the engine suffered a partial loss of power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a field located east of the airport.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, the airplane was on a VFR final approach when he noticed the aircraft was slightly above the desired glidepath. To correct this, he reduced the throttle setting. Almost simultaneously, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. With insufficient power to reach the runway, the pilot chose to execute a forced landing to a nearby field. He reported that 'the ground (was) coming up fast (and he) put it down straight ahead.' During touchdown, the airplane landed hard.
Investigation
Investigators examined the aircraft and engine but were unable to determine the reason for the partial loss of engine power. The hard landing resulted in damage to the aircraft, though the extent of damage was not specified in the report. No other factors were identified that could have contributed to the power loss.