What happened
While operating in the traffic pattern, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. Because the aircraft was at too low an altitude to attempt a landing on the runway, the pilot performed a forced landing into a grass field.
Following the accident, the pilot stated that the loss of power was caused by fuel exhaustion. According to the pilot, although the right fuel tank contained 15 gallons of fuel, he had forgotten to switch tanks during flight.
The investigation
Approximately six hours after the accident, about 20 gallons of fuel (consisting of 10 gallons from each wing tank) were drained from the aircraft. An examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any malfunctions in the engine or airframe occurring prior to the impact.