What happened
While performing a left crosswind turn at 400 feet, the pilot of the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. Following the loss of power, the pilot elected to perform an off-airport landing. During the maneuvers required for the approach to land, the airplane collided with trees and subsequently struck the ground.
The investigation
Maintenance personnel examined the engine and observed that when the throttle was set to idle, the RPM fluctuated between 500 and 1300 RPM, while the engine oil pressure remained constant at 40 pounds of pressure. Upon disassembling the carburetor, investigators discovered small particles of dirt or paint chips located within both the carburetor and the gascolator. These particles were noted to be large enough to potentially block fuel flow to the engine or enter the fuel jet nozzle. A post-accident examination of the engine included a field test run.