Accident Summary
During descent to the intended destination, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported that attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, and he executed a forced landing into a soft field. During the landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that the airplane had been completely fueled prior to the initial flight of the day and that approximately 3.6 hours of flight time had elapsed since the last fueling. In a conversation with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot disclosed that he had forgotten to switch the fuel selector to the other tank.
Post-Accident Findings
After the accident, approximately 5 gallons of aviation fuel was drained from the right wing fuel tank. Evidence of a fuel spill was observed around the accident site.
Probable Cause
The pilot's failure to switch the fuel selector to the other tank, resulting in fuel starvation and subsequent loss of engine power.