INFLT ENG SHUTDOWN LEADS TO AN OFF ARPT LNDG. EMER LNDG.

Narrative

I WAS PLANNING TO FLY VFR FROM FLL TO NAPLES; FL; ABOUT 90 NM FLT. I HAD NOT FLOWN THE ACFT IN SOME TIME; SO I GAVE A PARTICULARLY CAREFUL PREFLT. I DRAINED THE FUEL TANK SUMPS AS WELL AS THE CARB BOWL AND TAXIED THE ACFT FROM ITS PARKING PLACE TO THE FBO NEXT DOOR TO FUEL UP. THE TANKS WERE TOPPED OFF. I AGAIN CHKED FOR WATER IN THE FUEL; AND FINDING NONE; PROCEEDED WITH RUN-UP; FOLLOWED BY TKOF. AFTER APPROX 10 MINS; THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE PWR. I HAD JUST LEANED THE ENG SOMEWHAT. I IMMEDIATELY PUSHED IN ON THE MIXTURE CTL AND NOTIFIED THE TWR THAT THE ENG WAS LOSING PWR. THE CTLR ASKED WHETHER I WANTED TO LAND ON INTERSTATE 595. I TOLD HIM 'NO;' AS THE HWY IS VERY CONGESTED WITH TFC. I MANIPULATED THE CARB HEAT; WHICH APPEARED TO HELP SOME; THEN THE ACFT LOST ALL PWR AND I MADE A 'DEAD STICK' LNDG IN AN UNPAVED FIELD WITH NO INJURY TO PLT OR ACFT. I AGAIN DREW FUEL FROM THE SUMPS WITH THE THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SOME RESIDUAL WATER IN THE TANK. A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER WAS IN THE CARB BOWL. I WAS ABLE TO START THE ENG AND IT RAN FINE. MY A&P FOUND A SMALL PARTICLE IN THE CARB WHICH COULD HAVE GOTTEN STUCK IN THE CARB JET. CAUSE OF THE ENG STOPPAGE IS UNKNOWN. ENG HAS RUN FINE SINCE THE INCIDENT.