Incident Summary
Shortly after departure, the pilot smelled electrical smoke in the cockpit. The pilot decided to turn back to the departure airport. Soon after beginning the turn, the engine lost all power. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field.
Examination Findings
A subsequent examination of the aircraft disclosed that the left exhaust tailpipe had separated from the muffler. Furthermore, the insulation surrounding an electrical wire bundle that passed through the firewall was melted. This wire bundle provided power to the cockpit instruments and the ignition system, which included the ground leads for the magnetos.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported his belief that the hot exhaust from the separated tailpipe caused the insulation on the electrical wire bundle to melt. He believed that the ground leads to the magnetos then shorted, which led to the loss of engine power.