Narrative:

Made purchase of bellanca super king. Aircraft had an annual completed by mechanic. Was told the aircraft had only flown [X] hours in last [Y] years but aircraft airworthy and given log books. Mechanic advised he had installed a fuel metering unit and lubed cables with his own experimental equipment.filled up all fuel tanks and departed ZZZ; VFR. Reached cruising altitude of 7500FT and leaned engine 50 peak egt. While enroute ATC advised transponder intermentent. Started descent into ZZZ1. Throttle quadrant stiff and difficult to set. Engine then quit; recycled tanks and attempted restart. Engine then burst of power wtihout any movement of the throttle; then cut off. Initiated landing in muddy field. Aircraft suffered nose gear collapse. No injuries. Lesson LEARNED1. Pre buy inspection warranted dispite information presented by mechanic and owner.2. Manufacturer check out.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BL-17 Pilot reported engine failure on first flight after purchase resulting in a forced landing.

Narrative: MADE PURCHASE OF BELLANCA SUPER KING. AIRCRAFT HAD AN ANNUAL COMPLETED BY MECHANIC. WAS TOLD THE AIRCRAFT HAD ONLY FLOWN [X] HRS IN LAST [Y] YEARS BUT AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHY AND GIVEN LOG BOOKS. MECHANIC ADVISED HE HAD INSTALLED A FUEL METERING UNIT AND LUBED CABLES WITH HIS OWN EXPERIMENTAL EQUIPMENT.FILLED UP ALL FUEL TANKS AND DEPARTED ZZZ; VFR. REACHED CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 7500FT AND LEANED ENGINE 50 PEAK EGT. WHILE ENROUTE ATC ADVISED TRANSPONDER INTERMENTENT. STARTED DESCENT INTO ZZZ1. THROTTLE QUADRANT STIFF AND DIFFICULT TO SET. ENGINE THEN QUIT; RECYCLED TANKS AND ATTEMPTED RESTART. ENGINE THEN BURST OF POWER WTIHOUT ANY MOVEMENT OF THE THROTTLE; THEN CUT OFF. INITIATED LANDING IN MUDDY FIELD. AIRCRAFT SUFFERED NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE. NO INJURIES. LESSON LEARNED1. PRE BUY INSPECTION WARRANTED DISPITE INFORMATION PRESENTED BY MECHANIC AND OWNER.2. MANUFACTURER CHECK OUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.