Accident Sequence
The accident occurred on the pilot's third flight of the day. Nothing unusual was noted during the previous two flights. For the third flight, the fuel selector was set to the left tank for departure and cruise. Each fuel tank contained approximately 30 gallons of fuel at departure.
The airplane departed and climbed to an en route altitude of 2,500 feet above mean sea level for the 15-minute flight. About 10 minutes into the flight, the pilot completed descent checks, selected flaps to 10 degrees, and moved the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank, passing through the off position in the process. Two minutes after this switch, without any warning, the pilot experienced a total loss of engine power.
The pilot immediately returned the fuel selector to the left tank. He then attempted multiple engine control and auxiliary fuel pump configurations to restart the engine, but none succeeded. The pilot carried out a forced landing to a field. The airplane touched down and nosed over.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures with either the engine or the airframe.