Flight History
The accident airplane had been flown for a total of approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes on two separate flights since the fuel tanks were filled. The first flight, lasting about 2 hours, occurred one day before the accident. The second flight, which took place earlier on the accident date, lasted approximately 25 minutes. For the second flight, the left fuel tank was nearly full, and the right fuel tank had about 1 hour of fuel remaining.
Accident Sequence
The pilot reported that after takeoff on the accident flight, with the fuel selector positioned to "both," the engine quit when the airplane was approximately 200 feet above ground level. The pilot maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing in a field. During a forward slip, the right main landing gear collided with a ditch. Subsequently, the right wing contacted the ditch, and the airplane came to rest.
Postaccident Examination
The pilot/owner, who is also an airframe and powerplant mechanic, conducted a postaccident examination of the airplane. The examination revealed that the vent line, which connects to both fuel tanks, was blocked near the left wing root area. Additionally, the fuel supply line between the fuel selector valve and the fuel strainer was found to be kinked, and foreign matter was present inside the kinked line. The owner/pilot reported that the damage to the line was not the result of the forced landing and subsequent damage to the airplane.