Incident Overview
A pilot reported that the engine lost power without warning while cruising at 3,500 feet. The pilot attempted to restore power by switching fuel tanks and activating the fuel boost pump, but these actions were unsuccessful. Intending to land on a road, the pilot was forced to abort that plan due to obstructions and executed a forced landing to an adjacent open field. The accident site was approximately 10 miles west of the destination airport.
Pilot Report
During the landing roll in what the pilot described as "a very rocky field," the outboard portion of the left wing impacted a tree, and both main landing gear were torn from the airframe. The pilot stated that before departure from Rocksprings, Texas, the airplane's fuel totalizer indicated 18.8 gallons of fuel remaining. The fuel gauges were reading 1/4 in the left tank and between 1/8 and 1/4 in the right tank. The pilot calculated the distance between the two airports as 56.6 nautical miles and intended to use the Loran for direct navigation.
Postaccident Examination
Examination of the aircraft after the accident revealed that the right fuel tank was empty, and only residual fuel remained in the left fuel tank. The fuel selector valve was found in the right tank position.