Accident Summary
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in a cornfield after an in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot reported departing with approximately three-quarters of a tank of fuel. She stated that halfway through the flight, she turned the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank. The airplane began to lose power, so she returned the selector to the right tank.
Pilot Account
According to the pilot, after switching back to the right tank, the airplane operated normally for more than five minutes before losing power again and altitude. She turned the fuel boost switch on and off, which regained about a hundred feet of altitude, but the airplane continued to descend. At the time of switching, the fuel gauge indicated around three-quarters of a tank.
Examination Findings
A post-accident examination revealed the fuel selector was positioned on the right tank. The right fuel tank was inspected and found to contain no fuel. Fuel was present in the remaining fuel tanks on the airplane. The engine was started and ran using fuel from another tank.
Pilot Experience
The pilot reported a total of two hours of flight time in the accident airplane make and model.