A fly-in had taken place to the site of an aviation museum. At the conclusion of the organised activities, it was decided to position the Ceres in such a manner as to allow it to be photographed against the background of the museum hangar. Shortly after start-up, the engine stopped of its own volition, and after the restart it faltered again prior to a normal take-off. During the flight the engine again lost power and the pilot was committed to a forced landing. The only area suitable for landing had a group of Tiger Moth aircraft at the far end, and after touchdown the pilot initiated a ground loop in order to avoid these aircraft. The left gear leg collapsed and the aircraft slewed to a stop short of the parked aircraft. Examination of the fuel system revealed that seals in the hand-operated fuel pump had deteriorated and cracked. This allowed air to enter the system and cause fuel starvation.
