What happened
While performing a cruise climb at 10,400 feet, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. Following the power loss, the pilot attempted to restart the engine, but the attempt was unsuccessful. The pilot subsequently executed a forced landing into a field.
The impact resulted in structural damage to both the left wing and the right wingtip. Additionally, the fuselage sustained wrinkling and the firewall was buckled. There were no injuries reported following the event.
The investigation
An examination of the airframe was conducted, which revealed no anomalies. Investigators also examined the engine, noting that no other issues were found with the engine itself. However, an inspection of the engine's dual magneto revealed the presence of internal corrosion. A subsequent bench test of the magneto determined that it was operational.