Incident Overview
A pilot departed at 1100 MST with the intention of landing at Imperial, Nebraska, for fuel. Instrument meteorological conditions precluded a landing there. The pilot continued toward his destination, reporting that there were 'no holes in the clouds' between Nebraska and Minnesota while flying at 11,500 feet above mean sea level.
Descent and Power Losses
Approximately 30 minutes from Willmar, Minnesota, the pilot radioed a Flight Service Station and began a descent into instrument conditions. The pilot did not possess an instrument flight rating. During the descent, the pilot reported that the engine lost power. He switched fuel tanks, and the engine restarted. A short time later, when the airplane was about 300 feet above ground level, the engine lost power again.
Forced Landing
The pilot executed a forced landing onto a farm.
Pilot's Statement
The pilot reported that he 'should have just used my GPS and went in on runway 10 before I ran out of gas.'