What happened
During a night cross-country flight lasting approximately four hours, the engine of the aircraft lost power. The pilot subsequently performed a gear-up landing in a field.
While en route, the pilot observed that the fuel gauges were reading lower than normal levels. Despite this observation, the pilot decided to continue toward the destination, based on calculations suggesting there would be sufficient fuel remaining upon arrival. Prior to departure, the aircraft had been refueled, and the pilot had estimated a flight duration of 4.1 hours with a total of 5.3 hours of fuel available on board.
The investigation
Following the forced landing, an examination of the gascolator was conducted. The bowl of the gascolator contained no fuel. Based on this finding, it was concluded that the quick drain had been leaking since the fuel levels were checked prior to the aircraft's departure.