A HIGH TIME; PRIVATE; SMA PLT HAD AN ENG FAILURE. HE LANDED WHEELS UP IN A SOFT FILED WITH NO RPTED INJURIES. THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE.

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ENG BEGAN TO MISS AFTER ABOUT 30 MINS NORMAL STRAIGHT AND LEVEL OP FOLLOWING NORMAL FULL PWR TKOF. CHANGE OF FUEL TANKS; ADJUSTMENT OF THROTTLE AND MIXTURE DID NOT IMPROVE CONDITION. CALLED METCALF FIELD UNICOM BY RADIO FOR LNDG INFO. ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR AND COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT TO ENTER LNDG PATTERN. SELECTED EMER LNDG AREA; MAINTAINED AIRSPD WHILE MANEUVERING AND LANDED GEAR UP IN SOFT FRESHLY PLOWED FARM FIELD. NO INJURY TO PLT OR EITHER OF THE 2 PAX ABOARD. ACFT WAS A FUEL INJECTION SMA. CAUSE OF ENG LOSS OF PWR IS UNDER INVESTIGATION BY FBO AT METCALF FIELD. ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATED INFREQUENTLY; BUT ENG HAD BEEN STARTED AND RUN NORMALLY TWICE A MONTH. ON DAY OF INCIDENT; ENG HAD BEEN DIFFICULT TO START DUE TO WARM TEMP AND FLOODING; BUT WAS FINALLY STARTED AND RUN ON THE GND TWICE DURING THE DAY FOR ABOUT 45 MIN WITH NO SYMPTOM OF DIFFICULTY. FBO WHO ASSISTED IN STARTING SAID THIS MODEL WAS NOTORIOUS FOR HARD STARTING; VAPOR LOCKING; AND FLOODING; BUT INDICATED THIS IS A NORMAL CONDITION. I BELIEVE THAT MY PLT TRAINING WITH REGARD TO EMER ENG OUT AND LNDG PROCS PREVENTED THIS FROM BEING A SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OR INJURY EVENT.