What happened
During a flight following maintenance performed on the aircraft's fuel system, the pilot reported a total loss of engine power while in cruise flight. During the flight, the pilot and a pilot-rated passenger discussed an issue regarding the lack of movement in the right fuel indicator needle, despite both main tanks being in the "ON" position.
Following the loss of engine power, the pilot requested that the more experienced pilot-rated passenger take control of the aircraft to perform the landing. The aircraft landed in a plowed field. After the landing, the crew noted that the left main tank was empty while the right main tank remained full.
The investigation
An inspection of the fuel system revealed that the right fuel selector valve had been assembled incorrectly. This error caused the valve to block the flow of fuel from the right main tank when it was set to the "ON" position, resulting in fuel starvation.