Accident Overview
The airplane impacted terrain following a forced landing that resulted from a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. Prior to the flight, the aircraft had undergone extensive modification and repair over a period of five to six months.
Maintenance Circumstances
Several maintenance personnel who worked on the airplane the morning of the accident reported that the pilot wanted the airplane returned, even though he was informed that maintenance was not complete. One maintenance person stated that the pilot said, "no matter what, I'm pulling this airplane out and flying to Albuquerque."
Events During Flight
After approximately 30 minutes of flight, the engine "quit." At that time, the left wing tank fuel quantity gauge indicated "3/4 full." The pilot then switched the fuel tank selector switch from the left main wing tank to the right main wing tank and attempted to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful. He subsequently tried to restart the engine with the auxiliary tank selected, but that attempt also failed.
Forced Landing and Ground Impact
A forced landing was executed to a paved, country road. During the landing, the airplane veered to the right into a ditch. Subsequently, the right wing dug into the ground, causing the airplane to turn 180 degrees into a ditch.