What happened
The pilot reported that he was operating a local pleasure flight when the aircraft's engine lost power. This mechanical failure necessitated an emergency landing in a field located short of the intended runway. The pilot stated that prior to takeoff, he had inadvertently selected a fuel tank that was nearly empty. Consequently, the engine suffered from fuel starvation. He admitted that after the loss of power, he failed to check the fuel selector switch. This oversight prevented him from moving the selector to the other tank, which was nearly full. The airplane subsequently landed in a rough cornfield containing a mature crop.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the pilot's account of the pre-flight checks and the sequence of events during the flight. The pilot confirmed that he had not verified the fuel quantity in the selected tank before departure. He acknowledged that he did not check the fuel selector after the engine lost power, which would have allowed him to switch to the usable fuel source.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was the pilot's failure to ensure adequate fuel supply prior to takeoff. Additionally, his failure to monitor the fuel system during the flight prevented any corrective action. The fuel exhaustion led directly to the loss of engine power and the subsequent forced landing in an unsuitable area.