Incident Overview
During a positioning flight toward an auxiliary strip, the engine lost all power, momentarily surged to full power, and then ceased operating completely. The pilot executed a forced landing in a short field, but during the approach, the airplane collided with a berm and nosed over.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, an FAA airworthiness inspector examined the aircraft. The center fuel tank contained 45 gallons of fuel. No evidence of mechanical problems was found with either the airframe or the engine. The engine, which had been installed in 1997, had accumulated approximately 8,180 total hours, with 1,237 hours since its last major overhaul. The airframe's total time since new was about 13,085 hours.
Engine and Component Inspection
The engine and associated accessories were inspected; no anomalies were identified. The carburetor, however, was destroyed during impact and could not be functionally tested. No evidence of internal mechanical malfunction was found within the engine or any testable accessories. The engine was subsequently returned to service.
Fuel and Mechanical Status
The presence of 45 gallons of fuel in the center tank indicated that fuel starvation was not a factor. The lack of mechanical issues suggests that the engine's behavior during the flight remains unexplained by the examination.