What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Airman was on his first solo cross country flight returning to the cmi airport. At approximately 8 nautical miles south of the airport the engine stopped functioning . The airman declared an emergency and started to complete the engine failure checklist, the engine momentarily restarted then stopped. At this point the airman concentrated on making an emegency landing in a cornfield. After landing the airman realized he had forgotten to switch the fuel tank selector to the fullest fuel tank during the flight and while completing the engine failure check list. The aircraft received no damage and there were no injuries to the student pilot, the sole occupant of the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
AIRMAN WAS ON HIS FIRST SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT RETURNING TO THE CMI AIRPORT. AT APPROXIMATELY 8 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT THE ENGINE STOPPED FUNCTIONING . THE AIRMAN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND STARTED TO COMPLETE THE ENGINE FAILURE CHECKLIST, THE ENGINE MOMENTARILY RESTARTED THEN STOPPED. AT THIS POINT THE AIRMAN CONCENTRATED ON MAKING AN EMEGENCY LANDING IN A CORNFIELD. AFTER LANDING THE AIRMAN REALIZED HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO SWITCH THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR TO THE FULLEST FUEL TANK DURING THE FLIGHT AND WHILE COMPLETING THE ENGINE FAILURE CHECK LIST. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED NO DAMAGE AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT.