ENGINE FAILURE. FORCED LNDG.

Narrative

AT 5500'; 6 MI FROM 7KO; THE ENG STOPPED. AFTER SETTING BEST GLIDE AND EMER PROCS I TRIED TO RESTART. FUEL GAUGES SHOWED 1/4 TANKS. I SELECTED BOTH AND LEFT AND RIGHT WITH NO EFFECT. I COULD NOT MAKE THE FIELD; SO I MADE A FORCED LNDG. WHEN I DEPARTED HAGERSTOWN; MD; I HAD TANKS TOPPED OFF. WHILE I WATCHED THE LINEMAN FUEL THE PLANE I DID NOT LOOK MYSELF; BUT THE GAUGES WHICH HAD BEEN FAIRLY ACCURATE READ FULL. I BASED MY FLT TIME ON 38 GALS USABLE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: FAA INSPECTED ACFT 2 DAYS AFTER FORCED LNDG. TOLD RPTR THEY WERE FINISHED; RELEASED ACFT; THEN WENT BACK AND REMOVED CARBURETOR AND WITH STICK PICKED UP AT SIGHT MEASURED FUEL IN TANKS. WINGS THEN REMOVED; FUSELAGE REMOVED TO WHERE ENG TESTED. ENG DID START UP. RPTR KNEW AREA WELL SO FOLLOWED RAILROAD TRACKS AND HOPED HE WOULD FIND CLEAR FIELD NEARBY. APCH AT VERY SLOW SPD; WINGS CLIPPED LOW SHRUB LIKE TREES. DAMAGED WINGS; FLIPPED ACFT UPSIDE DOWN; DAMAGED TAIL ASSEMBLY. FUSELAGE INTACT. NO INJURIES. FAA SENT LETTER OF POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF FAR'S. DID NOT STATE WHICH FAR'S INVOLVED.