Synopsis
During a descent from 9,500 feet mean sea level, the airplane encountered moderate turbulence, followed by an uncommanded reduction of engine power toward idle. Despite the pilot's application of carburetor heat and fuel mixture adjustments, power was not restored.
Forced Landing
The pilot selected what he perceived to be a dirt road for the forced landing. However, deep ruts in the road adversely affected the landing, causing the airplane to come to rest inverted.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed a total fuel quantity of 3 gallons. The aircraft's normal unusable fuel per tank is 1.5 gallons. However, the investigation noted that when the aircraft is not in a level flight attitude, an additional 3.5 gallons of fuel per tank may be unusable due to the aft placement of the fuel line ports in the fuel cells.