What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The pilot completed three touch-and-goes before departing the traffic pattern and initiating a climb. While passing 900 feet MSL, the engine started running rough, and then quit. The pilot identified a field which appeared to be flat. He maneuvered the airplane for the field, touching down smoothly. During roll out, the airplane encountered rising terrain. The nose gear collapsed, and the airplane came to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel tank vents were blocked by mud deposited from insects. In addition, the carburetor bowl was empty. After removing the filler caps from both fuel tanks the carburetor bowl filled with fuel. With the engine still attached to the airframe, an engine run was performed. The engine started , and operated 'normally.' The owner's manual states that during a preflight to check both fuel tank vents for blockage.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE PILOT COMPLETED THREE TOUCH-AND-GOES BEFORE DEPARTING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND INITIATING A CLIMB. WHILE PASSING 900 FEET MSL, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH, AND THEN QUIT. THE PILOT IDENTIFIED A FIELD WHICH APPEARED TO BE FLAT. HE MANEUVERED THE AIRPLANE FOR THE FIELD, TOUCHING DOWN SMOOTHLY. DURING ROLL OUT, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED RISING TERRAIN. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO A STOP. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANK VENTS WERE BLOCKED BY MUD DEPOSITED FROM INSECTS. IN ADDITION, THE CARBURETOR BOWL WAS EMPTY. AFTER REMOVING THE FILLER CAPS FROM BOTH FUEL TANKS THE CARBURETOR BOWL FILLED WITH FUEL. WITH THE ENGINE STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME, AN ENGINE RUN WAS PERFORMED. THE ENGINE STARTED , AND OPERATED 'NORMALLY.' THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT DURING A PREFLIGHT TO CHECK BOTH FUEL TANK VENTS FOR BLOCKAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.