At about 1320 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing after a total loss of engine power during initial climb. The private pilot and a passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed.
The pilot later reported he was unable to restart the engine after the power loss and performed a forced landing to a corn field, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings, the fuselage and empennage. Initial examination did not reveal any catastrophic engine failures. The airplane’s fuel tanks contained approximately 21 gallons of aviation gasoline, which was absent of contamination.
