N5HB

The flight made a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot stated that about 7 minutes after takeoff while in cruise flight at 1,000 feet above ground level, the engine sputtered. He stated that he began a turn to return to the airport and as he turned about 90 degrees, the engine quit completely. He said that he elected to land in a farm field and during the landing he struck trees at the approach end of the field. The pilot stated that he believed the engine failure was due to a blocked fuel vent on the main tank of the airplane. Subsequent examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with regard to the airplane or its engine. The main fuel tank was found to be nearly full of fuel. The auxiliary fuel tank contained a small amount of fuel.