What happened
Following the installation of an auxiliary fuel tank system, the pilot completed fueling and commenced flight. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot detected fuel accumulating on the cabin floor. Due to the intense concentration of fuel vapors within the cockpit, the pilot decided to perform an emergency landing in an open field rather than attempting to reach an airport.
During the landing sequence, the aircraft struck a ditch that had been invisible to the pilot from the air. This impact caused the nose landing gear to collapse, leading the aircraft type to nose over. After the aircraft came to a stop, the pilot was able to exit the cabin approximately five minutes later. Shortly thereafter, a fire broke out in the wreckage, which eventually consumed the entire cabin area. There were 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported in this incident.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several critical issues regarding the auxiliary fuel system. It was determined that the installation of the tank did not comply with the specifications listed on the FAA Form 337. Furthermore, the documentation provided for operating the ferry tank system was found to be insufficient. A significant contributing factor was that the auxiliary fuel pumps were attached to a board that was not properly secured to the airframe.