The aircraft had previously been flown to test a new propeller installation. Maintenance personnel then checked the propeller, after which the pilot taxied for a local flight. Shortly after take-off there was a sudden and complete loss of power. The pilot attempted a forced landing in a paddock, but the aircraft stalled at a low height and struck the ground heavily. The engine had failed when a small piece of felt in the carburettor blocked the flow through the fuel nozzle. The felt had evidently been in the carburettor since the previous disassembly of this unit. The pilot had only limited experience on the aircraft type, and had probably not monitored the airspeed during the latter stages of the forced landing.
