Flight and Navigational Difficulties
During a cross-country flight with two stops, the pilot discovered after approximately 30 minutes that she was off course. She made course deviations in search of a recognizable landmark but was unsuccessful. She located a grass strip with two trailers and landed. No one was present in the trailers. She stopped a passing truck driver on a nearby highway to ask for directions.
Resumption of Flight and Assistance
After taking off again, she remained unable to locate familiar landmarks. She requested assistance from Charlotte Tower, which vectored her toward Salisbury.
Landing Attempt and Engine Failure
Upon entering the landing pattern at Salisbury, the pilot maneuvered to avoid another airplane in the pattern. As she turned onto the base leg, she added power to slow the descent rate, and the engine quit. She executed a forced landing in a field. During the landing roll, the airplane hit a dirt berm.
Probable Cause
The investigation did not state a probable cause for the engine failure or the accident.