What happened
The pilot reported experiencing an unexpected loss of engine power during cruise flight at an altitude of 6,500 feet. Following the power failure, immediate attempts were made to restart the engine, but these efforts proved unsuccessful. Consequently, the pilot executed a forced landing in an adjacent field.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed significant discrepancies in fuel distribution. The fuel selector valve was found positioned on the left tip tank, which contained 11 gallons of fuel. In contrast, the right fuel tank was completely empty. Despite the apparent lack of usable fuel for the engine's intake during the incident, subsequent testing showed that the engine could be started and operated normally. It ran for approximately five minutes at 1,500 RPM with no mechanical issues noted.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the event was fuel exhaustion. The aircraft was operating on a single tank while the other remained full, indicating a selection error or fuel imbalance that deprived the engine of its intended fuel source.