Event
While en route at 6,000 feet mean sea level, the engine lost all power. Air traffic control vectored the airplane toward the nearest airport, during which the pilot successfully restarted the engine. The pilot landed without incident. Subsequent troubleshooting by the pilot and a mechanic found no obvious issues. After two ground run-ups, the airplane departed again, and the pilot conducted maneuvers at 4,000 feet MSL above the airport. During the on-course turn, the engine again lost all power. The pilot executed a forced landing, which came up short of runway 17. During the landing flare and touchdown, the left wing struck a tree.
Investigation
The last annual inspection was recorded on March 5, 1996. The mechanic indicated that all airworthiness directives were current and that the airplane and engine were found to be airworthy and approved for return to service. However, there was no mention of compliance with AD 76-07-12, which requires a functional check of the ignition switch every 100 hours. During a subsequent engine test run, the engine operated intermittently through the ignition switch positions. Internal points of the switch were worn and exhibited evidence of arcing.