Accident Narrative
According to the pilot, the flight departed with the engine being fed from the main fuel tank. After the airplane climbed above 4,500 feet, the pilot switched the fuel source to an auxiliary tank. Fuel usage was timed using a countdown clock for each tank. Approaching Lansing, Michigan, the pilot requested and received flight following to Detroit. A few minutes later, the fuel countdown clock signaled that it was time to switch to a different fuel cell. The pilot then selected a full tank.
At that moment, the engine lost power. The pilot switched to another full tank, but the engine did not restart. The pilot informed Lansing Approach of the problem, and air traffic control provided direction to the nearest airport. The pilot performed the Bellanca Viking restart procedure, but the airplane would not restart. Subsequently, the pilot declared an emergency and executed a forced landing in a cornfield.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the wreckage revealed that one of the airplane's five fuel tanks was empty. The remaining fuel tanks were full of fuel. No other anomalies or discrepancies with the airplane were found.