Accident Summary
An airplane was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing. The pilot had been on a local flight and was returning when the engine began to run rough. The pilot leveled the airplane at 1,200 feet above ground level during a descent.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, he moved the mixture control to full rich, but the engine then quit entirely. He spotted an open field to his right and set up for a forced landing. He stated that because of the low altitude, he did not switch fuel tanks or try to find the reason for the power loss.
Landing Sequence
The airplane touched down on the main landing gear. The pilot attempted to keep the nose wheel off the ground as long as possible. When the nose wheel dropped, the airplane nosed over and came to a stop inverted.
Examination Findings
A post-accident examination revealed fuel leaking from the left fuel tank cap. When the cap was loosened, fuel poured out. The right fuel tank cap was secure; when removed, the tank appeared empty. No fuel was found on the ground at the accident site. The cockpit fuel selector was in the right tank position.
Fuel System Evaluation
An inspection of the fuel system did not find any anomalies. Samples taken from the system contained no debris.