Accident Sequence
According to the pilot, the flight departed with approximately 1.5 hours of fuel onboard, with an estimated flight time of about one hour to the destination. Approximately 35 minutes after takeoff, while in cruise flight at 2,000 feet with the fuel selector positioned to "both," the engine began to lose power. The pilot elected to conduct a forced landing to a field. The engine completely lost power at about 500 feet above ground level.
Landing and Damage
During the landing, the nose gear separated, the firewall buckled, and a portion of the fuselage was wrinkled. The airplane came to rest canted to the right.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. No fuel was present in the left fuel tank, and approximately 5 gallons of clean automotive gasoline was drained from the right fuel tank. There was no evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site.
Fuel System Specifications
According to the airplane owner's manual, the fuel system consisted of two 26-gallon aluminum fuel tanks, with a usable fuel amount of 21 gallons from each tank "in all flight attitudes."
No other issues were identified that could have contributed to the loss of engine power.