The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1100 Eastern time after a loss of engine power and forced landing. The commercial pilot and the private pilot-rated passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Subsequently, the pilot/owner gave a comprehensive account of the preflight planning, preflight inspection, takeoff and flight to an area north of his departure airport with no anomalies noted. Once established in an area clear of traffic, the pilot allowed his passenger to do some maneuvering and become accustomed to the airplane, as it was his first flight in a Lancair. After about 25 minutes of flight, the pilot/owner began transferring fuel from the left and right main fuel tanks to the 10-gallon “header tank,” which fed the engine. Ten minutes after completing that operation, the engine began to lose power. When engine power could not be restored, the pilot made a forced landing on a road. The pilot described the engine power as “surging, like it was running out of fuel.” After the aircraft was removed to a repair facility, the propeller was replaced and the fuel system was inspected. An engine start was then attempted on the airframe, utilizing the airplanes own battery and fuel system. The engine started immediately, accelerated smoothly and ran continuously without interruption.
