What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft was being utilized for student pilot discovery flight. The flight departed ewk and was returning to ewk on slow decent when the engine RPM dropped off. An attempted restart was unsuccessful. Given the low altitude, the aircraft was unable to make it to back to the airport. The aircraft landed in a field approximately 3 1/2 mi. Se of Peabody at approximately 14:16 local time. There were no injuries and no apparent damage to the aircraft. Inspection by certificated mechanic found no mechanical issues with the aircraft. Inspection found fuel selector not fully in detent for the right-hand fuel tank selection resulting in fuel starvation to the engine.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING UTILIZED FOR STUDENT PILOT DISCOVERY FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED EWK AND WAS RETURNING TO EWK ON SLOW DECENT WHEN THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED OFF. AN ATTEMPTED RESTART WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. GIVEN THE LOW ALTITUDE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE IT TO BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 3 1/2 MI. SE OF PEABODY AT APPROXIMATELY 14:16 LOCAL TIME. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTION BY CERTIFICATED MECHANIC FOUND NO MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT. INSPECTION FOUND FUEL SELECTOR NOT FULLY IN DETENT FOR THE RIGHT-HAND FUEL TANK SELECTION RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION TO THE ENGINE.