Forced Landing in Cornfield After In-Flight Engine Power Loss (N6336A)

Incident Overview and Pilot Report During flight, the engine lost power. The pilot stated that attempts to restart the engine using emergency procedures were unsuccessful. The pilot reported that the closest airport was about 10 miles away, but at an altitude of 4,000 feet MSL, he was unable to reach it. A forced landing was made in a cornfield, and the airplane was damaged during the landing. The pilot reported that he had topped off the fuel tanks and had 55 gallons of usable fuel. He reported departing at 0710 EDT, and the accident occurred at 1136 EDT. According to FAA personnel, the pilot reported using a power setting of 21 inches and 2,200 rpm. ## Fuel Data and Post-Accident Examination The Cessna Owner's Manual indicated that at an altitude of 2,500 feet and a power setting of 21 inches and 2,450 rpm, endurance would have been 4.3 hours with a fuel burn rate of 12.7 gallons per hour. At 5,000 feet and the same manifold pressure with 2,450 rpm, endurance would have been 4.2 hours with a fuel burn rate of 13.0 gallons per hour. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that the right fuel tank was empty, the left tank had one inch of fuel, and the gascolator was empty. The fuel selector valve was found positioned to the right fuel tank.