Accident Overview
During a dark night cross-country flight, the aircraft was cruising at 2,000 feet mean sea level when the pilot initiated a climb to 3,000 feet. A few minutes later, engine rpm dropped by 200-300 rpm. The pilot, who had 67 hours of flight experience, increased throttle to check for an rpm response. Subsequently, the engine lost power, and the pilot initiated a forced landing. While approaching to land, the pilot noticed trees in the flight path and began looking for an alternative landing area but could not see anything due to darkness. The aircraft then struck trees and came to rest upright.
Engine Examination
An examination of the engine under the supervision of an FAA inspector revealed that the left magneto's internal gears did not rotate with the engine. Removal of the left magneto showed that only one of two rubber drive isolators inside the ignition harness cap was present. Internal inspection of the magneto indicated that the contact points on the left side did not open during rotation. Further examination of the aircraft showed that the ignition key was turned to the left magneto only.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported to the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he did not touch any switch while exiting the aircraft.