Flight Details
The accident flight occurred after the aircraft's annual inspection was completed on the day of the accident, which included the installation of an overhauled engine. The pilot, who was also a co-owner of the aircraft, hired a flight instructor for the first flight following the maintenance. The break-in instructions for the new engine specified running it for two hours at full throttle with the mixture set to full rich.
Engine Performance Issues
During the initial takeoff, the engine only produced 2,100 rpm, and the takeoff roll consumed 3,000 feet of the 3,800-foot runway. After flying for one hour, the pilot landed and contacted the mechanic about the engine's performance. The mechanic told the pilot that "the timing may be off, or that the engine may still be a little tight."
Accident Sequence
Despite the earlier issue, the pilot decided to fly again, this time with the other co-owner aboard. After another hour of flying, during the turn to final approach, the engine quit. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field short of the runway.
Post-Accident Findings
After the accident, a witness turned the fuel selector from the left tank to the off position. Subsequent examination revealed that only unusable fuel was present in the left wing tank, while the right wing tank contained between half and three-quarters full of fuel. Additionally, no fuel was found in the lines leading to the carburetor, and only residual fuel remained in the engine-driven fuel pump. The pilot's total flight experience was 84 hours.