What happened
While on final approach at the destination airport, the airplane's engine stopped. In an attempt to restore power, the pilot switched fuel tanks and activated the fuel pump; however, engine power was not restored. After determining that the current glidepath would result in an impact with trees, the pilot elected to land the aircraft in a field located short of the tree line.
The investigation
Investigators confirmed the continuity of the fuel system. Physical evidence of both ferrous and nonferrous contamination was discovered throughout various components of the fuel system, including the fuel strainer, selector valve, electric fuel pump, carburetor, and the left wing fuel cavity. The presence of these materials indicated that water had been present in the system for some time and remained there. The engine was subsequently removed from the airframe and subjected to an engine run, which revealed no apparent anomalies.