Accident Sequence
The airplane climbed to 1500 feet over newly planted pine trees when the engine began to run rough at 2200 RPM. The pilot started searching for a suitable landing field, and shortly after, the engine lost power. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot executed a forced landing in a marshy field. After touchdown, the airplane rolled out approximately 10 yards and collided with a tree stump that was partially submerged in the swampy terrain.
Damage and Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear and the nose gear had detached. The propeller was bent, and the right wing tip was dented. A post-accident engine run was performed, during which the carburetor was replaced with a new one because the original was damaged. The engine was run at 2000 RPM for two minutes as part of the functional test. Examination of the airframe and subsystems failed to disclose any mechanical problems or component failures.
Fuel Information
The pilot reported that the flight departed with 15 gallons of low-lead fuel. During airplane recovery, several gallons of fuel were recovered from the fuel system.