What happened
During the cruise phase of flight, the engine of the aircraft experienced a loss of power. In an attempt to restore engine performance, the pilot performed several troubleshooting steps, including applying carburetor heat, switching the fuel tank selector, and checking the magnetos.
When these actions failed to recover power, the pilot switched the fuel selector back to the original tank setting and initiated a forced landing into a corn field. The pilot and occupants were not injured.
The investigation
Post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the right fuel tank. Investigators found no evidence of leakage from the tank. During the process of removing the wings to facilitate moving the aircraft, one quart of fuel was recovered from the right tank. Following the accident, the engine was restarted and operated without any noted mechanical anomalies.