SINGLE ENG BIPLANE AT 1000 FT AGL HAD AN ENG FAILURE FOLLOWED BY A FORCED LNDG OFF ARPT.

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DISCUSSED THE EVENT WITH A DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF NTSB TO DETERMINE THE STATUS OF THE EVENT. SHE INFORMED ME I HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY TO FILE A RPT DUE TO THE LIMITED DAMAGE; AND THE FACT THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AN ACCIDENT. IN CRUISE ON A BEAUTIFUL; CLR MORNING; APPROX 1000 FT AGL; THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER. I CYCLED THE FUEL VALVE OF THE UPPER TANK TO THE MAIN TANK AND LEFT IT IN THE XFER POS. I BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE DSCNT TO KEEP THE AIRSPD ABOVE STALL AND BEGAN LOOKING FOR A SUITABLE LNDG SITE. I PUSHED MIXTURE; PROP AND THROTTLE FORWARD IN HOPES OF IGNITION; TO NO AVAIL. THE DSCNT ANGLE TO KEEP THE AIRSPD ABOVE STALL WAS QUITE STEEP; AFFORDING VERY LITTLE TIME TO ASSESS THE PROB AND TROUBLESHOOT. FINDING LIMITED CHOICES OF LNDG SITES; WITH ALT DECREASING RAPIDLY; I CHOSE TO PUT THE ACFT DOWN IN A CORN FIELD. THE CORN WAS AT LEAST 8 FT TALL AND VERY THICK. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT FLIPPING OVER ONCE I GOT INTO THE CORN; SO I ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE ACFT AIRBORNE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE; AND ENTER AT A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED; AND WE LANDED AND CAME TO A STOP UPRIGHT; WITH NO HARM DONE TO EITHER MYSELF OR MY PAX; MY WIFE. THE ACFT GEAR COLLAPSED; BUT SUSTAINED NO OTHER STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. WHY THE FUEL DID NOT XFER IS STILL UNKNOWN. I HAD USED THE EXACT SAME TECHNIQUE ON 3 LEGS THE PREVIOUS DAY SUCCESSFULLY; AND HAD USED THE SAME PROC THE ENTIRE TIME I HAD OWNED THE ACFT; ALMOST 1 YR.